


Amnesia: The Little Merman

by CircusTalia



Category: Amnesia (Game & Anime)
Genre: F/M, Little Mermaid AU, Little Merman AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-05-25 08:44:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 32,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6187891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CircusTalia/pseuds/CircusTalia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ukyo is a merman who comes across a human girl. The two of them meet in secret and go from friends to lovers. The girl leaves for a trip out at sea and the ship she's on gets set on fire. After falling into the ocean, Ukyo saves her and brings her back to shore. While she makes it out okay, she ends up suffering from amnesia and Ukyo has to leave before he gets spotted by other humans. In order to make sure that she's safe, he makes a deal with the seawarlock, Nhil, to become human. Now Ukyo must win back the girl's heart in order to stay human without having aching feet and to be able to speak to her again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Sinking Ship

**Author's Note:**

> For all of my Amnesia fanworks, I have chosen to give the Heroine the name of Chiemi. Also, this will be a series of drabbles instead of one, linear story as I feel that this is an AU in which anyone can contribute to. Therefore, I apologize if some of these updates are a bit wonky at the beginning and prove to be difficult for you to read. You can find more Amnesia: The Little Merman AU ideas on my Tumblr blog under the same name.

It was a terrifying sight. Despite the downpour of rain, flames kept flickering on the ship. I swam around to see if anyone had fallen overboard.

“Everyone, quick! To the emergency boats!” a young male’s voice shouted. I looked to where they would plunge themselves down. To my dismay, she wasn’t in the crowd. I couldn’t see her anywhere on the ship.

“Where’s Chiemi?” an older male asked.

“We have to go after her!” a female voice called out. _Yes, yes. Please wait for her._

But then the rope holding the boat ripped off. Although that boat was crowded, everyone on board seemed to be fine. I turned my attention back to the ship, swimming away from the other humans.

“Chiemi!” I shouted. And then I saw her. She was standing in a blue, sailor dress, her hands clutching the ends of the dress. I could see her crying and shaking. She was looking out to the sea.

“Chiemi!”

She turned around to me. I held my arms out. “Don’t be afraid,” I assured her, “jump and I’ll catch you!”

I saw her lips move, but I couldn’t make out what they said. And then, one of the poles on the ship swung towards the backside of her head and she flew into the ocean.

With no time to spare, I quickly swam underwater to locate her. If there was anything the fire was good for, it was that I could locate her better. Her eyes were closed and her body was still. I put my arms around her body and swam back to the surface.

I placed her on a board and slapped her face as gently as I could. She coughed, water coming out of her mouth. I held her in place and tried to swim where the emergency life boat was at, but the people she was with were gone already. Thus, I had to swim her to shore myself.

The trip was long, but all the while I kept looking back at her. Her breathing was slow, almost as if it were an indication to how much time she had left to live. Luckily, we were able to make it to the shore by dawn.

I dragged her to the land and caressed her face. Her hair and clothes were full of sand, and there wasn’t a single part of her that was dry. However, she didn’t stop breathing. I pulled my head closer to her ear.

“Chiemi,” I whispered.

Her head turned. I pulled away, my hand still on her cheek. Her body was squirming and her eyes were barely opening before fluttering.

I smiled. “Thank God you’re okay.”

“What?” She stared at me, before placing her hand on top of mine. “Who…are you?”

“Chiemi….”

“Hey, I think I heard something!”

“It’s coming from the beach!”

I let go of her and made my way back into the ocean. I hid behind a nearby rock and sneaked a peek as to what was going on.

There was a tall boy with glasses and another boy with his hair swiped in front of him. They knelt down beside her and carried her away.

I didn’t know where they had taken her. I didn’t know what was going to happen to her. Worst of all, I didn’t know if I would ever see her again. I had to make sure she was alright. Somehow, someway. I swam away and went to the only one who could help me.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't have time to read the rest of this fic? Why not check out Bravocube's narration of Amnesia: The Little Merman? All 30 chapters narrated by this lovely fan combined with great musical accompaniment. Check out the playlist here.


	2. A Merman Hears a Human Sing and A Girl Sees a Stranger at Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The unofficial and official meeting of the girl and the merman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to post these as one chapter since they're relatively short.

Unofficial: Ukyo's POV

I had decided to go for a swim farther from my new home. Now that I had left my parents’ home, I had more freedom of choosing where to swim to. Crabs are getting smaller and smaller the farther I go. There are less fish as well. I wondered why they would be leaving like that. I decided to emerge from the water for a bit.

After doing so, I did not look up to the sky. Rather, I was looking up at a long plank of wood with poles to support it. It amazed me how this was so. But at the end of the plank I saw something I had never seen in person and only saw in portraits. Legs and feet. They kept moving back and forth, unable to reach the water. I got closer to these legs, my hand reaching out to touch one of them. Then, I heard a voice.

“Ah-ah-ah-ah, lo-o-o-ove,” the voice sang. It was a girl’s voice. “Ah-ah-ah-ah, lo-o-o-ove.” It was the first time I ever heard a human sing. Do humans normally sing this well? She had such a beautiful voice.

“Ah-ah-ah-ah"

“Chiemi!” I heard a young male voice shout. “Quit goofing off and come back to help.”

Once he said those words, the legs disappeared. I ducked back down into the water. As I swam back to my home, I hummed the words I heard her sing.

 

Official: Heroine's POV

It was my day off and I had decided to take a stroll along the beach. There were a few clouds in the sky with a slight breeze. Toma was out on another fishing expedition and Shin had to go to the pharmacy to get his prescription refilled. Sawa was working that day, too, so it was just me. I walked away from the usual tourists and children who were playing and headed to a part of the beach that most people don’t normally go to. Most people don’t like going to this part of the beach because it has more seagulls and is more susceptible to tides. Plus, there are rumors about this part of the beach being cursed. I don’t believe those rumors and I don’t mind the seagulls.

I took off my shoes and placed them beside the wall. I sat down and let the water make its way to my feet. I made little shapes on the sand with my finger and reminisced about how I used to come here more often. I closed my eyes, dreaming about what it would be like to get in the ocean and become a mermaid. Being able to talk to all sorts of fish and marine mammals. When I opened my eyes, I saw a young man with long, green hair a ways away from me. When did he get here? I didn’t see him before.

He wasn’t facing me, instead looking off into the distance.

“Hey!” I shouted out to him, waving my arm. He jolted up and turned around. I didn’t recognize his face. Maybe he’s a tourist?

“Uh, um,” I heard him mutter before he timidly waved his hand. “Hello…”

He was actually pretty handsome. I smiled at him. “Are you from around here?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “N-no. I actually live far away from here.”

I had hoped he was moving here. A sting of disappointment stung me. I stood up. “Oh, that’s interesting.” I cleared the sand off my skirt. “I’m Chiemi. What’s your name?”  


He swam a little closer to the shore and finally smiled back at me. “I’m Ukyo.”

“You look like you’re having fun in the water. I think I’ll join you.” I was about remove my clothes before he swam back.

“No!” he shouted. I barely lifted my shirt when he shouted. He looked away from me before saying, “it’s just, uh…” his face was turned behind him, “I saw something really gross in the water just now…”

I guess it’s been a while since the beach was last cleaned. I gave in to his excuse. “Aw, okay. Uh,” I felt my face flush, “how long will you be here?” I used my feet to make small circles in the sand.

Ukyo chuckled. “Don’t worry. We can meet again whenever you’re not busy.”

“Then, how about tomorrow? At sunset?”

“Definitely.”

“Great. I’ll see you then.” I turned around to grab my shoes. After I put my shoes on I tried to continue our conversation. “Oh, where are you-” As I looked to the ocean, he was gone. He sure is a fast swimmer.


	3. The Tail of a Merman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our leading lady has discovered that Ukyo is a merman. What is her reaction to his tail?

I had arrived at the beach a little earlier than expected. Of course, Ukyo wasn’t there yet. I decided to climb on top of some nearby rocks and wait. Although the current was getting closer, it didn’t scare me. The seagulls were frolicking and flying all over the place. While I waited, I hummed to myself for a bit.

Out in the distance, I saw a rather large tail come up from the water. My eyes widened. It didn’t look like a dolphin’s tail or any other marine tail that I’d ever known. It was a light purple color that glowed. It went back down into the water.

Soon, Ukyo was at the rocks.

“Did you wait long?” he asked.

I didn’t respond. I didn’t know how to respond.

“Chiemi?”

I opened my mouth but no words came out.

Ukyo tilted his head before he must have realized what I had known.

“Ah, um,” he stumbled with his words, his fingers digging deep into his head, “I should, probably go.”

“No!” I cried out. He faced me again. “Please, don’t go. I promise not to tell anyone. I just, I want to see you more. Please.” I folded my hands together and begged.

He loosened himself up a bit and slumped his shoulders.

“Very well,” he said. He climbed on top of a rock that was next to me, revealing his then very bright tail. It was a good thing the sun was already setting, otherwise my eyes would have burned. He let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d be so accepting of me if you found out I was a merman.”

I shook my head. “Don’t be. I’ll admit I didn’t think I’d ever meet a merman in my lifetime.”

He smiled and his tail dimmed down. “I didn’t think I’d ever meet a human in my lifetime.”

We both chuckled. “So,” I said, “do you really live far from here?”

Ukyo looked down at the current that was coming in and out. “Sort of. It doesn’t take very long to swim out here, though.”

“Um, is it against mermaid rules for you to talk to a human?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just, there haven’t been many merfolk who have interacted with humans peacefully. Most of them are too scared to go anywhere near humans.”

“And you?”

“Nah. Well, sort of. The thing is, I like to learn about humans. How you people live on land and use your legs.”

He looked down at my crossed legs.

“Um...”

“Hm?”

“I was just wondering,” I tapped the rock I was on. “What’s it like being able to talk to fish and other marine life?”

“…What?” Ukyo asked in confusion.

“Well, it’s just, I always thought it was cool how merpeople could talk to fish and sharks and whales and use all kinds of magic to get by living in the ocean.”

Ukyo was quiet for a second. Then he began chuckling. And that chuckling turned into laughter. He hugged himself as he was laughing out loud.

“You, you think that we can talk to fishes?” he asked before bursting out another fit of laughter.

“Well, that’s what the legends say about mermaids,” I defended raising my arms. “From the stories I’ve heard, mermaids can use magic and communicate with marine life.”

Ukyo laughed again. “Oh,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye, “that is so adorable. I can’t believe you humans actually believe that sort of thing. That’s crazy!”

His laughter was starting to subside and he calmed himself down.

“Okay, obviously I have a lot to teach you about merpeople. And let’s get this out of the way, we do not and cannot talk to fish.”

“You mean you don’t have any fish friends?”

Ukyo shook his head all the while chuckling. “No, no. Just because we can live underwater doesn’t mean we’re exempt from the food chain. I’ve eaten a lot of fish in my lifetime. We do, however, have pets. That’s as close as you’re going to get to having a fish for a friend.”

I leaned closer to him. “Oh, that’s nice. What do you keep as pets then?”

“Usually sea stars and the like. Dolphins tend to be a more popular choice, though.”

“Do you have any pets?”

“No. But my grandfather had a dolphin for a pet and would let me play with her.”

Before I had realized it, the moon was already out. I looked up to see the stars that surrounded the moon. I turned and saw that Ukyo was looking up, too. He turned to me.

“I think I should get going now.” He leapt off the rock and I carefully climbed down.

“Ukyo,” I said.

“Hm?”

“Will you really be back?” I bent down to face him.

He placed his hand over mine. “Of course. Just tell me when.”

My heart was beating faster, yet I sighed out of relief. “I have work tomorrow, but I can come by when my shift is over.”

He nodded. “I’ll wait for you, then.”

And with that, he dived back into the ocean and I headed back to my house.

 


	4. A Lost Human Stumbles Upon a Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo has just made a deal with the seawarlock, Nhil. His feet hurt, he can't talk, everything just seems to be going bad so far. That is until a kind man sees him and helps him up.

I opened my eyes slowly, groaning out loud. Or rather, I thought I was groaning out loud. It didn’t take me long to realize that I couldn’t hear myself. I could hear the squawking of the birds nearby and the swooshing of the tides. But my own voice was not to be heard. I touched my neck and tried to speak out the word “hello.” Nothing.

That’s when I looked down and saw them. My very own pair of feet. I wiggled my toes and it felt so weird but so good. I got up slowly, but a sharp stinging entered my feet. I tumbled backwards and rubbed my feet. I stood up again, the ache still there. That’s right. This was one of the compensations to be human.

I breathed out and carefully walked my way along the shore. Although my feet were aching, it still felt nice to have the sand touch my skin. I went over to the rocks and gently placed my foot on them. I thought to myself how humans must go around with their feet without feeling any pain. I had to suffer because I was not born human. I bent down and cried. My hair covered my face and the wind made me shiver more.

“Sir,” a voice said. I looked to see a pair of legs in front of me and then saw the body of a man. He had his hair neatly combed and wore a pair of thin glasses. He was dressed in a long, button up, grey shirt and slim pants. I crawled back away from him. He knelt down in front of me.

“It’s okay,” he said softly, “I’m not going to hurt you.” He stared at me before asking, “What happened to you?”

My mouth moved instinctively before I remembered that I had given up my voice.

“Oh, I see you can’t speak,” the man said, almost as if he were talking to himself than to me. “Forgive me. Can you understand me?”  
I gave him a nod.

“That’s good. Were you shipwrecked, too?”  
I move my hand back and forth.

He hummed to himself before reaching his hand out to me.

“Come.” My hand trembled. “It’s alright. I’m here to help.” The trembling stopped and I placed my hand in his. He picked me up from my where I was before letting go. He unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a white, tank top underneath.

“Here.” He handed me his shirt. “This should at least reach your knees.” I put the shirt on and buttoned it up. “Follow me. I’ll take you somewhere to get some food.”

 

 

“You mean we have another victim of the sea?” the boy with brown hair asked in annoyance. I had been sitting at a table, enveloped in a blanket as I looked at the people who were in the building.

“Oi, Shin, don’t be so rude,” the blonde haired boy said in response. “Can’t you be a little nicer to him? He can’t even talk to defend himself.”

“That just makes it even worse,” Shin retorted.

I had been taken to a place called a restaurant. The man, whose name is Waka, told me that he was the manager of this place. Whatever that means. I guess that meant he had authority here because he ordered some food for me to eat. And then he said that I don’t have to worry about paying for this meal. _I guess humans have to pay for their food._

A girl with brunette hair up in a ponytail came to my table and placed a bowl in front of me.   


“Here you go,” she said. “Our specialty soup of the day!” She gave me a thumbs up.

I looked down at the bowl, where the liquid was green and steaming. There were utensils that surrounded the bowl. Even though I collected a few of these back when I was a merman, I had no idea how to use them. I grabbed one that had resembled a triton and tried to scoop the liquid to no avail. I tried again, but still no luck. I set the tiny triton aside. All that was left was the small blade, which probably wouldn’t do much for a liquid and the strange, curved metal thing. I looked at the people who were with me only to be met with faces that had looked as if they were staring at me this whole time. They all had their faces back, mouths opened and brows raised.

“This guy is weird,” Shin said.

“Um…” the girl uttered out.

I gave up trying to use the utensils and instead raised the bowl to my mouth and started gulping down the substance. To that, they had relaxed their faces.

“Do you like the soup?” the girl asked.

I nodded. It actually was quite tasty. I didn’t know you could drink warm water and add flavor to it. She jumped up with glee.

“Yes!”

“Sawa, calm down,” the blonde instructed.

Waka came out, carrying a tray with a jug and cups. He placed the tray on my table.

“You should drink something to hydrate your body,” he said as he poured a cup of liquid in my cup. “This lemonade should help.” I didn’t know what this lemonade was, but after I took a gulp of it, I found myself really liking it.

“Toma,” Waka said facing the blonde, “do you know if the city has torn down that shack house yet?”

“From the looks of it, they haven’t. I think the sign said they were gonna tear it down next week.”

Waka then handed Toma some papers. “Then please deliver this to City Hall.”

Toma read the papers, with Shin and Sawa also getting closer to read what they said. All three of them looked at Waka.

“Waka, you can’t be serious?” Shin asked. “Why doesn’t he stay at someone’s house until he goes home?”

“Oh, so does this mean you’ll let him into your home, Shin?” Waka asked.

“I can’t. My house doesn’t have enough room for him.”

“Exactly. Besides, from what I understand, he doesn’t have a home to go back to.” Waka faced me. “Is that correct?”

I nodded. I knew the risk I was taking by wishing to be human. I knew I could never go back home. But seeing her safe was worth it.

Toma left the building and Sawa took my bowl away and headed for another room. Shin was also heading out but asked something before taking his leave.

“Waka, would it be alright if I wait in the back tomorrow? I want to pick her up from work.”

“Of course,” Waka replied.

I wonder if he has a girlfriend who works here. Could it be that Sawa girl?

As he was about to leave, a girl with pink hair tied up in a neat bun entered with someone following behind her.

“Ah, I see you’re accompanying her for her daily walk, Mine,” Shin said. “Any luck?”

“I’m afraid not,” the pink haired girl Mine said solemnly, “she doesn’t seem to recognize any part of this town.”

Mine moved to the side and that’s when I saw her. That light brown hair, those green eyes. She was wearing a long, flowing pink dress. My beloved Chiemi was right there, looking around this building in complete confusion.

Shin patted Chiemi on the shoulder.

“You won’t be confused for long,” he said. “I’ll be picking you up tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” Chiemi said in a soft voice.

Shin left and Mine and Chiemi took a seat near me.

“Mr. Waka, who is this?” Mine asked.

“Oh, I found this boy at the beach. He was alone and doesn’t seem to have a place to go.”

“Ah, was he shipwrecked?!” Mine shrieked.

“I’m not sure. I can only ask him yes and no questions as he can’t talk. But, he does seem to be lost.”

“Aw, that’s terrible.”

Chiemi got up from her chair and took a seat across from me.

“You, too,” she asked. She tucked some hair behind her ear. “I guess I’m not the only one who’s lost. I got into an accident recently, too, and now I can’t remember anything. But they tell me that my name is Chiemi. I hope you and I won’t be confused soon.”

She gave me a small smile and I smiled weakly back at her. I was glad to see that she was alright. But I was also sad to know that she didn’t remember me. As much as I wanted to reach out and hold her hand, I knew I had to win her heart from the beginning again. I was going to be by her side, no matter what.


	5. Pudding, Braids, Swimming, and Much More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a human and a merman begin to spend more time with each other? You probably know the answer, but here's a glimpse at a few of their interactions before the crash.

When I went to see Ukyo again, I brought some pudding to share with him. I would have brought cake or cookies, but I didn’t want to attract any seagulls to us. He was there, waiting for me along the shore. He waved his arm.

“Chiemi,” he called out. I put the basket down and sat beside him. I removed my sandals and wiggled my toes.

“I’m never going to get over how cool that is,” Ukyo said.

“You’ve never seen any animals with feet?” I asked.

“I have, but none of them could ever wiggle their feet thumbs.”

“Feet thumbs?”

“Yeah, isn’t that what they’re called?”

I laughed. “No. They’re called toes.”

“Toes?”

“Yup.” He grabbed one of my toes and pulled at it.

“Oh.”

I opened up the basket while he was distracted and brought out the cup of pudding.

“Here,” I handed him the cup. He took it and held it up to the sun in confusion. I dug through the basket for spoons, but it was no use. “Aw, I think I left the spoons at home.”

“Spoons?” he questioned.

“Oh, it’s normally used to help with eating pudding.”

“Pudding?” He pointed at the cup. “You mean what’s inside this cup?”

“Yeah. It’s really good. You could use your finger to get the pudding.”

He put his finger inside the cup and scooped up a big chunk of the pudding. Some of it fell off his finger, but there was still plenty left. He put it in his mouth.

It took him a few seconds to get his finger out before he stared back at the dessert.

“Oh, sorry,” I told him. “If you don’t like it-”

He brought the cup closer to him and scooped up more of the pudding to eat.

“This is delicious!” he exclaimed, some of the pudding dripping from his mouth. “I didn’t know humans could make such good food!” He drank the rest of the pudding as he tapped whatever he could out from the bottom of the cup. He handed the cup back to me and I put it back in the basket. He wiped the pudding from his face.

“Thank you,” he said, his eyes gleaming at me.

“You’re welcome.” I thought for a moment and then decided to show him a trick I saw. “Oh, but that’s not all that humans can do.”

“Hm?” he pondered.

I stood up and walked away from him. When I reached where I wanted to go, I took a deep breath before performing a cartwheel.

“OH!” He leaned his body closer. 

I did another one. And another one. And on the last one, I fell on my butt.

“Ow.” I rubbed my behind. But Ukyo clapped.

“That was amazing! I didn’t know humans could do such amazing tricks with their legs! Is that an alternative way for humans to get around on land? Can all humans do that? Do they do that when they’re born?”

I spent the next hour explaining how cartwheels are something that take practice and how there are other acrobatics that people can do. I tell him that it’s usually common to see these performances at special events like festivals or a show. After explaining that to him, he placed his hands on my feet again.

“That’s so cool.” His hands made his way up to my knee. “Woah, you can feel a bone here?” He lightly knocked on my knee caps. “Is that the only part of the leg where you can feel a bone?” he asked before sliding past my knees and grabbing my thighs. “Wait, I think these are called the thighs. But I can’t remember what goes before them.” He was getting closer to an area I’d rather not say and I removed his hands from me.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Uh, er, well, you know, or okay, you don’t know, but, um, uh, you see,” I sputtered out all at once before looking at the ends of his hair. “Hey, your hair is really long! Do you ever style it?”

He blinked before answering with, “The most I’ve done with it is keep it in a ponytail.”

“How about a braid?”

“A braid?”

“Yeah. Let me braid your hair.” I moved behind him and got a comb out of the basket. His hair was really long. Not even the women of my town had hair as long as his. After combing out his hair, I separated it into different sections. I then wove them, one at a time. One piece of hair going in front of the other. Ukyo was rather patient as he didn’t squirm once during the time his hair was being braided. I finally got to the end and touched his hair.

“Oh,” he said. He pulled the braid in front of him and was impressed with what I had done. “I didn’t think this was possible.”

I got a purple ribbon from my basket and tied it at the end of his braid.

“This should keep it together,” I told him.

His fingers rubbed the ribbon and he brought it closer to his face.

“It’s so pretty.” He touched his tail. “It matches.”

 

* * *

 

 

I hadn’t realized I was sleeping until I felt something poke at me. I woke up to see Ukyo above me.

“Psst, Chiemi,” he whispered.

I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes.

“Ukyo?” I noticed that the sun was practically gone.

“I’m sorry for waking you, but I don’t know how much time you have to hang out with me.”

I let out a yawn. “How long were you waiting?”

“Not too long. I should be the one apologizing.” He gave a small chuckle. “You look like you were waiting for me for a while.”

He wiped the sand off my face.

“I’m sorry for falling asleep.”

“It’s okay. You must have had a long day at work. Besides, I wanted to surprise you with a gift.”

Ukyo crawled away from me and grabbed something from the tide. He was careful not to reveal the gift as he used his hair to hide the object behind him.

“I wanted to thank you for giving me your ribbon the other day. Hold your hands out.”

I did what he told me to do and on my hands he placed a blue conch shell.

“Woah.”

He grabbed my hands that held the conch and put them near my ear. From there I heard a voice singing.

“Ah-ah-ah-ah, lo-o-o-ove,” the voice sang. That was a song that I had sung to myself. The more I listened to it, the voice became recognizable. It was Ukyo’s voice.

“Ukyo, where did you...”

He rubbed the back of his head.

“I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I actually heard your voice before officially meeting you.”

I removed the conch from my ear.

“Where?”

“On this long plank of wood.”

I didn’t understand what he meant but after a bit of thought it came to me.

“The pier?”

“Is that what it’s called?”

I nodded and I covered my mouth.

“What’s wrong?” Ukyo asked.

“You didn’t think my singing was bad?” I asked him.

He shook his head.

“I thought it was wonderful. I kept practicing that song until I found the perfect conch to sing into.”

“Merpeople can sing into conch shells?”

“Yes, we can. We typically do this when we want to express our feelings for another merperson. It can be familial or romantic.”  
“Do you ever use it to remind yourself of anything?”  
He shook his head.

“No. Nothing like that. Wait, why would I have to remind myself of something?”

“You know. For like dates or meetings or even birthdays.”

“Well, if we’re pretty close to someone, it isn’t hard to remember their birthday. And we don’t normally have scheduled events.”

“What? You guys don’t schedule any events?! Then how do you know when to do something?”

“We just do it. I mean, if someone wants us somewhere during a certain part of the day, we try to make it. Otherwise, we just sort of do our own thing.”

The water was getting farther away from us. Although his tail looked fine, I figured I’d take Ukyo closer to the waves. I took his arm and slid him near the water. He swung his tail a bit as it touched the water. He then splashed some water at me.

“Hey!”

He kept splashing. I took off my shirt and skirt and dragged him by his tail. Ukyo scratched on the sandy floor for dear life. He started throwing sand in my direction before I took him deeper into the water. Once I let go of him, I was about to head back to the beach before I felt him grab my ankle and pull me into the water.

Under the water, I saw his laughing face and I chased after him. He swooshed past me and I followed him in pursuit. I knew he was faster than me in the water, but I didn’t want to give up. Unfortunately, I had to as my arms and legs were getting tired of swimming and I had to float up to the surface to breathe.

I felt Ukyo pop up behind me as he hugged me by the waist.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I panted. “Just a bit tired.”

Ukyo kept his hands on me as he laid back in the water. He swam backwards until we reached the beach again. When we got there, he laid me down and rubbed my shoulder. I fiddled with his hair before I put my hand on his neck. His breathing was still ordinary compared to my out of breath breathing. I moved my hand from his neck to his chest. His heartbeat was actually beating really fast.

It was Ukyo’s turn to put his hand on my neck. He moved his hand to my back and leaned in on me. Our faces were close in proximity. They got closer and closer. Before I knew it, I had closed my eyes. And I felt his mouth against mine. I felt something bright against my body, but didn’t pay any attention to it. He laid on his back and placed me on top of his body. I pulled back and opened my eyes. He was looking back at me, too. His tail was glowing a bright purple color. He touched my cheek, rubbing small circles on it.

“Chiemi,” he whispered, “you’re so cute.” I leaned closer to him and kissed him on the cheek. I laid on top of him for a few minutes before I heard some voices from afar. I couldn’t make out what was being said, but I could tell that I had been out here longer than intended. I got up from Ukyo.

“I’m sorry, but,” I turned my gaze away from him.

“It’s okay. You have to go, right?”

“Mhmm.”

“I understand. I didn’t come off, you know-”

“Not at all. I actually really liked it. I hope I’ll see you here again, tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

Without thinking, I said, “I love you, bye.” After those words left my mouth, I froze. I felt more at ease when he replied with, “I love you, too.” I turned around only to find his tail above the surface of the water. I made my way to where my clothes were and put them on.

_Bonus:_

After I had left the beach, Toma and Shin were talking to each other wearing their regular clothes. Unfortunately for me, there were spots of my clothes that were getting wet. I tried to sneak past them, but then I heard Toma say my name.

“Chiemi?”

I turned around to reveal to them my wet clothes.

Shin slammed his palm to his face.

“You were out swimming, again, weren’t you?” Shin asked without looking at me.

“Eheh,” I muttered out, pulling my shirt collar.

“Chiemi, you know you shouldn’t be swimming out in the ocean this late,” Toma lectured. “You can catch a cold.”

“Let her,” Shin remarked. “Then she’ll learn her lesson.”

“Sawa swims in the ocean at night sometimes and she never gets a cold,” I retorted.

“That’s because Sawa’s an idiot,” Shin said.

Toma patted my head. “Come on, we’ll take you home.”

 

* * *

 

I was leaning on Ukyo’s shoulder as we watched the sunset together. We sat on some rocks and our hands interlocked. Down below us was a picnic basket I brought which had two empty cups inside. We had eaten pudding earlier. Once again I had forgotten the spoons, though the pudding was still good. Ukyo had braided his own hair, using the ribbon I gave him to tie up the loose end.

Ukyo had told me a bit more about the magic merpeople use. All merpeople are capable of magic. For the most part, though, they keep it to recording their voices in conch shells and manipulate light. They can also hide the gills on their necks if they don’t like how they look. However, there are a few merpeople that have dedicated their time to studying magic. These merpeople can conjure up spells and potions. They can manipulate the water around them, grow coral and seaweed into great heights, and even transform themselves into anything they want. However, he told me of a specific sea warlock who is the most powerful of them all.

“My grandfather was the one who told me about him when I was little,” Ukyo said. “He is known by many as the Great Nhil. He’s a sea warlock who grants the wishes of others. When my grandpa was a child, he said that he met the Great Nhil while he was playing in a sea garden. The Great Nhil performed a spectacle of a show for my grandpa. But when my grandpa had to go, he wished that he could have a play area that wouldn’t be taken away. And the Great Nhil used his magic to give my grandpa his very own play area. It had blowholes on the ground, bouncy sponges, and so much more.”

“That’s amazing,” I said.

“It really was. When my grandpa got older, he would take my mother to that play area. And then he took me. He looked after me a lot, mainly because my parents had volunteered to herd sharks.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?!” I held his hand tighter.

He kissed me on the side of my head.

“No. Not for us, anyway. They handled the more docile sharks. I actually rode one once, but I’ve also eaten quite a few sharks as well. Anyway, it’s still not considered wise to take children to herd sharks, especially since it takes a lot of patience and calmness to tame a shark. So, I spent most of my childhood living with my grandpa. He was a kind man who not only told me about his encounter with Nhil, but also told me about humans.”

“Did he ever meet a human?”

“No. He only ever got to see them from afar or on their boats. But he did get to collect any leftover items on islands that were once inhabited by humans. He kept them in a cavern and would let me play with any of the toys that he had. There were even portraits and statues of humans that I would spend my time staring at. My grandpa would make up stories about these humans to entertain me.”

He let go of my hand and put his arm around my shoulders.

“But then he got sick and passed away.” He squeezed my shoulder. “I remember crying for days after he died. My parents decided to move in the same area he lived in. They let me go into my grandpa’s cavern anytime I wanted for as long as I wanted.” He wiped one of his eyes. “Are your grandparents alive?”

“No, they’re not. But I never really got to know them. I was a toddler when my paternal grandma died and she was the last of my grandparents.”

“Oh, so how are your parents like?”

“They’re okay. I don’t get to see them that much. They usually work overseas, so I’m often left alone.”

“You mean you never had anyone to be with?”

“Oh, I did have friends. Actually, two of my best friends are like brothers to me. We grew up on the same street and I used to sleep over at their houses until we reached middle school. That was when I learned how to cook and clean for myself. But, it seems I don’t get to see them that often anymore. Shin, my younger brother, works as a cabin boy and Toma, my older brother, is a fisherman who goes on expeditions a lot. And here I am. Left to work here. I guess it’s not so bad. I have another friend named Sawa. But she also works as a tour guide so there are some days where we can’t hang out. But I don’t mind. They usually come back. I guess what worries me the most is if they don’t come back. You know?”

Ukyo pulled me into his chest, wrapping both arms around me. He hiccupped a few times as he wailed softly. He stroked my head. I hugged him and patted his back.

“Hey, it’s not so bad,” I reassured him. He still kept sobbing.

“But,” he sniffled, “you must have been so lonely.” He took a short breath. “I’m alone, too. But that’s only because other merpeople are too scared to go near humans. But if they knew there were people like you, then,” he stopped talking and sobbed.

I pulled away from him for a bit and cupped his cheeks. I pulled him close and gave him a kiss. I wiped away his tears.

“I didn’t know you were such a crybaby,” I whispered. He flicked my forehead.

“Don’t get so cocky.” He leaned in and kissed me again, his tail swinging all the while.

* * *

 

I had gone swimming with Ukyo on one of my days off. When I dived in the water, he showed me his gills. I reached my hand toward them and felt his breathing under the water. It felt kind of odd, it had the same kind of texture of a fish. Yet, bubbles came out of it. I couldn’t help but laugh. When I got to the surface to breathe, Ukyo followed suit.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“That is so cool.” I said before laughing some more. “How come you’ve never shown me them before?”

“Hm. Well, before, it was because I wanted to be cautious about showing my gills. I didn’t want to get caught. But, after you found out, I guess it was just a matter of me forgetting to reveal them to you.”

I dive back down and hold my breath. I wanted to see how long I could last with Ukyo in the sea without going back up. He chuckles and I push him away. I wasn’t keeping track of time, so I was panicking a bit about how long it had been since I dove in. I immediately went back up and coughed up the water out of my lungs.

“You didn’t even last five minutes,” Ukyo informed me. “It’s kind of amusing to see you try to hold your breath.”

“Easy for you to say,” I complained, “you can breathe both in the water and on land.”

He jumped on me. “Aw, don’t be like that. Maybe I can go to the Great Nhil and wish for you to breathe under the water with me.” He kissed me on the neck.

“Well, for now, I need to go back to the shore.” He let go of me, but accompanied me to the shore. I laid on the sand, legs still in the water, and Ukyo rested his head on my chest.

“Ukyo,” I said, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What’s that?”

“I won’t be able to spend too much time with you for this next week.”

He looked up at me. “Why?”

“Because I’ll be getting ready to go on a trip with some friends.”

“A trip?”

“Yeah. We’ve been planning to go out farther to sea for a while now. We’ll only be gone for a few days.” I combed his hair with my fingers and he just hugged me.

“I suppose that’s fair. I wish I could go with you, but I know that it would be impossible. And even if it were possible, I don’t want to get in the way of you spending time with your friends.”

“You wouldn’t be getting in the way. But it would be hard to bring a merman on board.”

We both softly laughed. He let go of my torso and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the water.

“Then let’s play some more while we still can.”

I obliged and spent the rest of that day swimming with Ukyo.


	6. A Deal with a Sea Warlock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After having rescued the love of his life and having to leave her to the care of other humans, Ukyo goes to see a sea warlock known for granting wishes, the Great Nhil.

The cavern wasn’t too hard for me to find. Lots of coral and sponges were attached to the exterior of the place. Outside of the cavern was a little boy with a small, yellow and grey tail and short, silver hair. In his hands was a bag and when he opened the bag, a swarm of transparent lights emerged and were making their way to the surface.

“Too bad I couldn’t use them for something more useful,” the boy said with a sigh. I swam up to him.

“Um, excuse me?” I asked.

He bolted up. “Ah!”

“I’m sorry to disturb you, but,” I hesitated for a moment, “is this where the Mighty Nhil lives?”

The boy clasped his hands together and nodded. “Yes, this is Master Nhil’s home!”

I smiled. I had found where I needed to be. “Is he busy?”

The boy crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “Hm…” he opened his eyes. “My master shouldn’t be busy at the moment.” He turned around. “Come on, I’ll take you to him.”

I followed the boy who was swimming rather fast, making it hard for me to catch up. I was able to and we stopped at an entry way.

The boy swam to the middle of the room. “Master Nhil,” he said, “we have a visitor.”

I looked around the room and saw no one. There was a cauldron and jars filled with things I couldn’t recognize. But up from the ceiling, tentacles were coming out. And then I saw him. The sea warlock with the same hairstyle and haircut as the boy, but with black tentacles instead of a tail. The Mighty Nhil.

“Orion,” Nhil spoke in a surprisingly calm and gentle voice, “who is our guest?”

Orion pointed a finger to my direction. “That would be him, sir!”

I swam back a bit. I couldn’t believe I had actually been in the presence of the Mighty Nhil.

Nhil gave me a warm smile. “Don’t be afraid. Come.”

I swam up to them, the nervousness of the situation not being alleviated by all the smoke emerging from the cauldron.

I bowed my head. “Mighty Nhil,” I said.

Nhil chuckled. “Please, just Nhil.”

I looked at him. “Nhil. I hear that you are a granter of wishes. Is this true?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Then I come here for a wish.”

Orion furrowed his brows. “What?! How dare you come to Master Nhil as if he were a genie?!”

A tentacle was placed on the boy’s shoulder. “Orion, it is fine. It is what I want to do, after all.”

Orion shrunk back with a blush across his face.

“What is your wish?” Nhil asked.

I took a deep breath. “Nhil, I want to make sure that the girl that I love is doing well. However, it is impossible for me to see her for you see, she’s…” I bit my lip, hesitant to tell him about my interaction with a human. While it isn’t exactly outlawed, many merfolk are too afraid to even go near humans. But, I had to make sure she was alive, no matter what. “She’s a human.”

Nhil and Orion’s eyes widen.

“You got to talk to a human?!” Orion asked. I nodded. He bounced up and down. “That is so cool!”

“I see,” Nhil said. He went over to his cauldron. “And what would you like me to do exactly?”

I went closer to the cauldron. “I ask: is there a way for me to become human?”

“A human?”

“Yes. I want to be by her side and see that she’s safe. I’ll give you anything you want, just please make me human!”

Nhil sighed. “It’s not so much what I want. It’s what you have to give for this wish.” He grabbed one of the jars. “If you wish to become human, I can do that. However, the cost will not be easy. Should you become human, you will have to give up your voice and your feet will always ache. The only way you would be able to stay as a human with your voice and healed feet is if you marry this girl. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes,” I say immediately. I didn’t care what I had to go through. I would make sure that she was safe.

“Very well,” Nhil said as he poured the contents of the jar into the cauldron. He lifted his arms and began to chant. “With Poseidon’s power, you shall leave the sea and walk among the land.”

And with that, the clouds from the cauldron enveloped me and I was gone.

The next time I would wake up, I would be on shore and have a pair of legs.  


	7. A Noble Invites an Amnesiac and a Mute to His Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girl and Ukyo are cordially invited to attend Lord Ikki's ball.

I had gathered some flowers for Chiemi and waited for her at the front of the restaurant. When she got out, she took note of me and what I had in my hand.

“Oh, what pretty flowers,” she said.

I held the flowers up to her. She gasped a bit.

“Oh, these are for me?”  
I gave her a nod. She took the flowers from me.

“Thank you.” She sniffed the flowers. “Mm, these smell really nice.”

“You should have waited to give her those flowers at a later time,” a stern voice said. Chiemi and I turned around to see Kent and Ikki. Kent was holding a basket filled with envelopes.

“Lord Ikki, Sir Kent, is there something we can help you with?” Chiemi asked.

Ikki smiled, holding his hands out.

“Why yes, there is. Dear Chiemi, I realize that you are still regaining your memories, but don’t you think it would be best to let loose every once in a while?” Ikki grabbed two envelopes from the basket.

I held the envelope then flipped it over. It had a blue seal stamped on it. Chiemi carefully opened hers to reveal a thick, neat note.

“You are both invited to my ball this weekend,” Ikki explained.

“You’re inviting us?” Chiemi asked.

“He’s inviting the whole town,” Kent replied.

“I must. It’s a good opportunity to get to know your fellow townsfolk.”

“More like an excuse to find your potential bride.”

“Come now, Kent. You of all people should know that I wouldn’t need to hold a ball to find a bride. I would have to give a test to any of the girls interested in marrying me.”

“And what kind of test would you give them?”

Ikki shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe have them sleep on a mattress that has a pea underneath it.”

Kent sighed as he shook his head.

Ikki turned his attention back to us.

“Anyway, I would like both of you to attend my ball. So please, do consider it.”

With that, Ikki bowed and both he and Kent left. Chiemi put the note back inside the envelope.

“Oh, that sounds like so much fun.” She gave a little twirl. “But, I don’t know if I should go. I mean, I want to go, but with my memories barely coming back, I don’t know if I would just make things awkward.”

She looked down and kicked the ground, a pebble hopping away from her foot. I put my hand on her shoulder and pointed a finger at me. Then I pointed at her, and had two of my fingers walk on the back of the hand that was on her shoulder.

She looked down at the flowers.

“You’d be willing to accompany me.”

I smiled at her.

“Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

Sometime later, in a large study room, Ikki and Kent were sitting at a table with a pair of saucers and cups of tea before them. Ikki reached out for his cup and took a sip while Kent had his arms crossed and pushed up his glasses.

“Ikkyu, are you really sure about this?” Kent asked.

“Sure about what?”  


“About inviting her. Your plan at trying to get closer to her might backfire.”

Ikki set his cup down on the saucer.

“I have to try. Aside from you, she’s the only one who treats me like a normal person. I think the only one I wouldn’t mind losing her to is you, but that’s only because you’re my best friend.”

Kent scoffed as he picked up his own cup. “If she remembered how ‘well’ we got along, I don’t think she’d choose me.” Kent sipped on his cup.

Ikki chuckled. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up like that. And who knows? All I know is that I would like for Chiemi to see how splendid a life with me can be. A ball like this is only a sample of what I am capable of offering her.”


	8. If Only It Were a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo and the love of his life arrive at Lord Ikki's ball. It is here that the girl has something to say about the ship crash and when Ukyo must make a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you finish reading this drabble and question why I didn't tag this as Major Character Death, I assure you that there's a reason I didn't tag it as such. Be sure to read the next chapter to find out why.

Lord Ikki’s estate was in fine form. The marble floor was polished as you could see the reflection of the lights, tables, and chandelier. Lord Ikki himself was standing near the staircase as he was chatting away with several women that were gathered around him. Although those women looked nice, with some of their hair covered in beads with others wearing dresses with intricate patterns, none of them could compare to the girl that was by my side.

Chiemi was wearing an aquamarine dress that flowed down revealing scales which covered the floor, and her hair was pulled back by a bright pink rose hair pin. The blush on her cheeks made her round face stand out more than it already could. I had worn a simple tuxedo given to me by Waka with some leather shoes. I’ll admit right now, the leather shoes didn’t exactly help ease the pain in my feet. But if I had just known how to dance, I would have taken Chiemi by her hand and led her into a waltz.

Mine and Sawa came up to us. Mine held her pink hair back in a tight bun and wore a rather poofy purple dress while Sawa had her hair in a low ponytail and wore a thin, red dress.

“Wah, Chiemi, you look so pretty!” Mine exclaimed.

“I’m sure you’re going to attract a lot of guys,” Sawa said.

Chiemi cupped her cheeks, her face getting rather red. Both girls giggled and grabbed her wrists.

“Sorry, but we’re going to borrow her for a little while. Okay?” Sawa asked.

I replied with a wave of my hand and the girls left. I scanned the room for a chair to sit on and found one near a table that had champagne glasses on top. I sat down and saw Chiemi laughing with the other girls and let out a sigh of relief. I couldn’t hear what they were saying due to the music that was playing and the high volume of people in conversations, but they seemed to be having fun with whatever it was they were chatting about. Sawa then dragged Chiemi to the floor and the two of them began dancing. The violins and flutes were at a high pace, Mine clapped her hands along to the music and everyone was cheering.

Once the song was over, the music became mellower and some of the dancers from before tiredly leaned their backs against the wall whilst gulping down a glass of whatever it was they could reach their hands to. Chiemi looked around the hall, covered her mouth when her eyes spotted something. I couldn’t tell who or what she was looking at, but I figured maybe the subject of her attention had been in her mind for quite some time.

I looked away for a moment or two until I was surprised to see her in front of me. She looked lost as she stood in front of me, her hands fumbled together.

“Um,” she let out, “would you mind accompanying me outside for a moment?”

I stood up and walked with her. We left the estate, though we didn’t go too far. We were against a railing that overlooked the ocean. Chiemi slouched forward to look out. I remained fixated on her. She beat her thumbs against one another.

“Ukyo,” she said in a rather sad tone, “there’s something I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been thinking about who it was that saved me from the ship crash.”

My heart skipped a beat. I slouched forward next to her. _Does she remember me now?_

“I remember being on the beach and waking up to someone’s face that blocked the sun.” She closed her eyes. “It was a boy. A boy, with short, blue hair.”

_Oh no. Chiemi, that’s not who saved you._

“There was worry in his voice and I felt him carry me.”

_Oh, God, why?_

“I think, I think Lord Ikki was the one who saved me that day.”

I bit my tongue, not because I wanted to hold myself back from saying something (which would not have been any good anyway). Rather, it was because I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t imagining those words fall from her mouth. I hoped that I would wake up and see that her words were the worrisome thoughts in my head. But I was still there. And she was still there, her body shaking.

“Ukyo, I want to tell him how I feel,” she looked up at me, her eyes getting watery. “I want to thank the man who rescued me. But he’s a noble. And not only that, but he has so many admirers. What if he doesn’t accept me?”

Against my better judgement, I wiped a tear that was about to escape from her eye. I held her shoulders and tilted my head to the direction of the estate.

“You think I should still tell him?”

I nodded.

She threw her arms around my waist and I put my arms on her back.

“Thank you, my friend,” she said in a low voice.

I wanted to squeeze her. I wanted to carry her away from here and have us lay on the sand. Instead, I let her go the moment she pulled away. She was heading back to the estate.

“Aren’t you coming?” she asked.

I had my finger and thumb almost pinch each other and she went away.

I ran to the beach, tears dropping from my face. As soon as I got there, I threw sand in all directions. I knelt down and pounded my fist to the ground. The sobs kept coming harder and harder, but no noise was made as it was getting harder for me to breathe. In that moment, I let out my sorrow. I let out the sorrow of the pain in my feet. I let out the sorrow of my long-gone voice. I let out my sorrow of the love I would never obtain.

Then, I heard a familiar child’s voice.

“Ukyo!”

I looked towards the ocean and out came Orion. He crawled towards me with a blade in his hand. Once he was in arm’s reach of me, he held the blade out to me.

“Ukyo, my master wants you to have this.”

I took the blade from him. It was normal length, though it had pointed sides.

“Listen, you don’t have to be in pain anymore. You can go back to being a merman.” His expression changed from tiredness to regret. “But there is a price. In order for you to go back to your life in the sea, you have to sacrifice the very reason you chose to be human in the first place.” He bit his lip before saying, “You have to kill the girl.”

My eyes widened. I saw my reflection on the blade. I looked back at the estate. Chiemi would have to die for my mistake? I clutched the weapon and thrust it into my chest.

“Ukyo!”

I fell down as blood escaped from my body. Although Chiemi would not remember me, I couldn’t live with myself if I killed her. I looked up at the stars and remembered the good times we had together. Oh, how happy I was knowing that I was able to share a romance with her. It may not have lasted for long, but I’m glad it happened.

I felt Orion shake my body, and closed my eyes as I remembered her face for one last time.


	9. Another Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sea warlock, Nhil, gets a hold of Ukyo's soul. He offers Ukyo another chance at winning the girl's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is why I opted on not tagging this series of drabbles as Major Character Death.

Ukyo’s soul left his body and made his way to Nhil’s cavern. Nhil reached for the soul and tenderly caressed it with his hands.

“You poor merman,” Nhil said. “All you wanted was for your love to remember you. You had the chance to come back to the sea, but instead you opted on taking your own life.”

Orion arrived to the cavern, sadness in his face as he placed the blade on the shelf. “I’m sorry, Master Nhil,” Orion said. “I didn’t want any of them to die, but…”

Nhil held Ukyo’s soul in one hand and used the other to pet Orion’s hair. “There, there, my child. There is nothing to be sorry about.” Ukyo’s soul glowed in the cavern. “Your love is admirable. And for that, I am willing to give you another chance.”

Nhil went to the middle of the room. He let go of Ukyo’s soul. A hologram of Ukyo was projected.

“Ugh….” Ukyo muttered.

“Ukyo,” Nhil affirmed, “listen to me very carefully. There’s still a chance for you to be with your love. Many years ago, I discovered the existence of other worlds and I’ve been able to teleport from world to world. I can take you to another world. One where you make the deal with me and get to see her again.”

Ukyo’s eyes opened. “I hate to impose, but wouldn’t time travel work best?”

Nhil shook his head. “Time travel is a dangerous mechanism that is never meant to be tampered with. Besides, it’s less risky to the world if you move on to another one than if we reversed time and caused a dangerous shift to this one.” Nhil presented Ukyo with a glass ball. “If we go to another world, you can merge with the Ukyo of that world. He wouldn’t die, but he would gain your memories of this world. And with that, you could continue to win her heart.”

Ukyo smiled.

“But,” Nhil continued, “My magic can only work so many times for this, especially for something as specific as this. While you will be given a number of worlds to go through, you must know that if you cannot marry the girl by the last world, your body will turn into seafoam and your soul will become one with the Wind Spirits. I need you to think about this very carefully. If you choose not to go, I will release you. Whatever you decide, you will have my support.”

Ukyo’s soul pondered but ultimately he said yes. And so, the journey began.


	10. Painting from a Merman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo takes up a brush and begins to paint.

Back when I was a child, my grandpa gave me a paintbrush. I would swish it around, pretending to use it as a wand. My grandpa then brought out a portrait of the sky. He told me that the sky in the picture came to life by that paintbrush. He told me how humans used things like paint to create wonderful pictures. He gave me the sky portrait, too, and I always had it on the side of my sleeping quarters. I could go to sleep knowing that I could hold the sky in my arms.

* * *

 

Sometime after arriving in the town, I stopped by the restaurant to see how everyone was doing. When I got inside, I saw a white blank sheet and some jars filled with paint and water. The colors were red, blue, green, and yellow. And beside those jars was a brush with a square like end. I grabbed the paintbrush and dipped it in some red paint. Then I made a stroke across the white sheet. Before I knew it, I started making more strokes and adding more colors to the painting. I wasn't sure what I had in mind when I initially started painting, but I knew I wanted to put color in this empty blank space. I didn't care if there were splatters of paint that were getting on my shirt, nor did it bother me when my hair was stained with these colors. I took pleasure in bringing out something. 

I don't know how much time passed, but I could feel a presence behind me. When I looked, I saw Waka standing there in observation. I jumped and put the brush down. I looked around and didn't see anyone else. Yet, I felt that perhaps I was not supposed to be there. I bowed my head, but Waka instead came closer to me and leaned in to get a better look at my painting. 

"I didn't realize you were a painter," he said. There was a small smile on his face as he hummed. "Was this something you did often before arriving here?"

I shook my head and tugged at the ends of my hair. Waka pushed up his glasses.

"I see. You did quite a marvelous work here. Unfortunately, this was reserved for a painter that was supposed to paint a portrait of the restaurant. But, I must say that I do greatly enjoy this flower art."

I let go of my hair. As I reached to rip off the piece I did, Waka gently grabbed my wrist. 

"It's quite alright. There's still plenty of paper for the painter to use. If you don't mind, I'd actually like to frame this piece."

I nodded. 

"Thank you." He let me go. "Now, would you like to accompany me for some tea?"

We both made our way to a table nearby that had a teapot and cups. As I took my seat, Waka poured some tea for me. I pointed to the painting.

"Hm?"

After pointing at the painting, I motioned my finger back to me. I spread my arms and pretended to hurdle something in them.

"Oh, you used to collect paintings?"

I nodded once again.

"A fan of the arts. I am, as well."

And for the rest of that afternoon, he told me about various painters he knew as well as biographers that he read on artists. He then encouraged me to take up painting as a hobby, and it was something I would find myself doing when I wasn't with other people. 


	11. Humans Rely on Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo couldn't possibly survive in a world of humans if he doesn't have a job. That's why Orion's here to give him a helping hand on making money.

I went back to the part of the beach that Chiemi and I used to meet up at. With every step I took, there were seagulls that were flapping their wings away from me. _If I had wings like them, would I not have to walk?_ I sat near the small tides that were coming in, allowing the water to reach my knees. _The water feels so different compared to before._ I closed my eyes and allowed the breeze to blow my hair. I dug my fingers in the sand. 

"Ukyo," a small voice whispered.

I opened my eyes and looked around. No one to be seen.

"Ukyo," the voice said again. 

I then looked at the rocks that were across from me. Orion had his head above the water. I crawled towards him.

"Remember me?" he asked. 

I affirmed that I did.

"Hooray. I wish you could say my name, though." He shook his head. "Ah, but that's not why I'm here." He swam a little closer to me. "I came here to give you this." Orion extended his arm to me and handed me a whistle. It felt like glass, and was long and green and it had brown leather tied to it, making it look like a small necklace.

"Master Nhil wanted me to give you this. He said that this should help you in your life as a human."

I was still confused.

"Oh, allow me to explain. I don't know if you've noticed this, but humans get paid with something called money for the work they do. If you blow that whistle, you'll get oysters to appear and all of them will have pearls inside. Pearls are worth a lot to humans, so you can harvest these pearls and sell them to other people."

My mouth formed an "oh" in response.

"But make sure you blow on this whistle when there's no one around or where you'll be safe. You wouldn't want anyone to steal it." He winked. "And don't worry about dropping it. It might feel like glass, but it doesn't break so easily."

He swam backwards. 

"Well, I should get going. Good luck!" 

And with that, he went back into the water. 

I tested the whistle out, which gave out a low and soft sound. When I removed it from my lips, I didn't see any oysters come out. I blew harder. Still didn't notice anything. After the third time, I thought Orion was playing around with me. As I got up, my feet touched something. I dug the sand to reveal a number of oysters. I opened one up and it revealed pearls inside. I placed the whistle in my pocket and grabbed as many oysters as I could. 


	12. Thought About a Merman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When one dreams about a merman, one would never consider it to be a memory. For one girl, this dream felt so real.

I let out a yawn.

"Tired?" a figure asked.

"No, I'm alright," I told him, rubbing my eyes. "Work hasn't been so easy since we received more fish than usual yesterday."

He chuckled before beckoning me to sit next to him. When I sat down, he pulled me into his lap. 

"You should get some rest," he said as he combed my hair with his fingers. 

His lap felt squishy. I put a hand on it and felt little scales on it. Before I closed my eyes, I saw a tail at the end of his body.

* * *

I had woken up from another dream. While my memories had been coming back slowly, I had found myself with some of the strangest dreams. I guess amnesia doesn't stop you from fantasizing. That dream must have been telling me about a romance I've wanted. I wondered if that was why there wasn't a face to that merman. Yet, that voice sounded familiar. _Can dreams feel real?_

As I got dressed, I saw a conch shell next to my vanity. I picked it up, feeling it's smooth exterior. Before I could put it close to my ear, there was a knock on my door. I put the conch shell back in its place and went to see who had come to visit me. 

When I opened the door, a girl I was told was named Sawa was standing there.

"Yo, Chiemi," she said. 

"Oh, hello," I replied. "Um, did I have work today?"

Sawa laughed. "Nah. I just stopped by because I wanted to see you."

"Oh."

She placed her hands on my shoulders. "Listen, there's a local band that's playing in the town square this afternoon. Would you like to go with me?"

I didn't have anything else to do that day, so I agreed. 

"Perfect!" she shouted. Sawa tugged at my arm. "Let's go now before it gets crowded!"

I grabbed the key that was nearby and locked the door behind me. Sawa skipped ahead of me, singing a song that I assumed was from the band that would be performing. I followed her, too nervous to ask her if she knew anything about me mentioning mermaids before I got amnesia.

Sawa stopped in her tracks and faced me.

"Chiemi," she said.

I looked up at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Um..."

"If you don't want to go-"

"No, it's not that. It's just..." I held my hands together. "This is going to sound silly, but did I...ever mention anything about mermaids before I had amnesia?"

Sawa crooked her head.

"Mermaids? Hm..." She tapped her finger on her chin. "I don't think you did, unless you were reading a story to children." 

She shook her head.

"Sorry, I don't think you ever mentioned anything about mermaids. At least to me anyway." She put her arm around me. "And hey, there's no question that's ever too silly to ask me. If there's anything on your mind, let it all out!"

I gave her a light hug. 

"Thank you, Sawa." I let go of her. "Let's see if we can be at the front."

"Yeah!"


	13. Setting Up Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo begins his first day of selling pearls. It isn't easy, but his first day at the market place is the least of his problems, especially when the girl he loves stops by.

After I had spent some time with other pearl sellers, I was able to set up a stand at the marketplace. Waka was kind enough to help me start up my pearl selling business. The stand had an array of pearl necklaces and earrings with a few rings. It wasn't hard to learn how to piece jewelry together, especially since I did have a few people help me out. Since I couldn't speak, I had to have a sign that said that I was grateful for anyone that would buy any of my items alongside the price list. 

I'll admit, the first day of business was not easy. While there were people here and there that would buy from me, I did notice quite a few people that would swipe my pearls away. They would walk past my stand and put an arm over the pearls. Then they would grab one or two and slip it in their sleeve. I tried to reach my hand out to them, but they had sped walk right past me. I put my arm down in defeat and found it hard to grin to others when I knew the thieves were still out there.

However, before the end of the day, Chiemi came by with Shin following behind her. She skipped on over to my stand. 

"Ah, there you are," she said. "We've been looking for your stand all day."

"It wasn't all day," Shin muttered. 

Chiemi leaned forward to observe my pearls.

"Oh, these are so pretty. I'm amazed that you were able to find pearls like these."

I grabbed a pearl necklace and placed it on her hands.

"Ah, these feel really smooth. Shin, take a look at this necklace."

Shin stepped closer and took a hold of the necklace.

"It's nice, but I don't get why so many people fawn over them."

He returned the necklace to me and I placed it back where it was. Although Chiemi was fixated on the other items, Shin's attention was to her. He didn't exactly have a friendly face, what with that resting irritated frown of his and his furrowed eyes, but I could tell that he wasn't looking at her in anger. There was a sadness in his eyes, almost as if they were close to breaking out tears. Shin had his hand make its way closer to her arm, but he retracted it. Instead, he used his hand to cover his cough.

"Huh? Is something wrong, Shin?" Chiemi asked.

"Nothing. Anyway, how long are you gonna be here for?"

Chiemi gave a small pout. 

"Don't give me that look. I'm just asking. Besides, I think this man needs to get ready to close up his shop. All the other merchants are packing up their things."

She looked at me and I reached for the sign that said my business hours. I took a look at a clock that was nearby and realized that it was almost time for me to close. I didn't want to shoo her away, but it seemed like Shin wanted to spend a bit more time with her. I got out the box that I used to carry my pearls in and began putting them away. 

"I think you're right," she said. She gave a small bow to me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get in your way." 

I was holding on the pearl necklace I showed her earlier. My thumb was caressing one of them. I lifted it up in her direction before letting it drop. I continued to carefully place the items in the box. 

Chiemi waved her hand at me. 

"Well, I guess we can hang out another time," she said. "I'll see you later."

I waved back at her, even after she had already turned away from me and walked beside Shin again. 

After putting everything away, I carefully stood up from my seat. My feet were stinging again. It took a lot of effort for me to not remove my shoes to make sure my feet weren't bleeding. I strapped the box to my back and left my stand. My mind was saying to go home, but my legs instead made their way to Waka's restaurant. I could see the lights from the restaurant still on, though there were many people that were heading out the door. I made myself stop, not wanting to disturb him when he was closing up. Before I could leave, I saw him taking out some trash and he noticed me. He motioned for me to come over. 

"Ah, there you are," he said. "How was your first day on the job?"

I couldn't look him in the eye.

"Oh, not so good?" He hummed to himself for a bit. "Problematic customers?"

I shook my head.

"Trouble with not being able to talk to customers?"

Again, I denied that. 

There was a silence from him. Waka pushed his glasses up. 

"You didn't by any chance have anyone steal from you, did you?"

I didn't move my head, whatsoever, yet he managed to figure out what had happened earlier in the day. Waka stepped away for a moment, looking inside for someone. 

"Sawa," he began, "you'll be in charge of opening up tomorrow morning. I have some business I need to take care of."

He closed the door and went back to me. 

"I'll be sure to accompany you to your workplace tomorrow morning," he told me. "For now, you should get some rest."

* * *

The next morning, he was at my doorstep and had something in his arms. When we got to the market place, he helped me set up my shop. After putting everything in display, he brought out a barrier of some kind. 

"Keep this on until you're ready to close," he instructed as he put the barrier on top of my jewelry. 

Once that barrier had been set up, I saw that one of the thieves from the day before was heading to my stand. Before the thief could get close to my stand, Waka shot him a menacing glare that sent the thief running away. 

After that, I didn't have any problems dealing with people who would want to steal my pearls.


	14. One Slight Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo remembers Chiemi's touch. But will she remember his?

I was in my home, counting the money I had earned this week from selling pearls. From what I could recall from Waka's lesson, it looked like I had earned a good amount of money. I read the notes that were taken and the notes told me to go and get food. I didn't know what kind of food humans normally eat, aside from fish. Which wasn't a problem since fish has always been tasty. But I also didn't want to look weird if fish was all I bought. I put the note and money in my pocket and headed out to town. 

On my way, Chiemi was leaning against a wall, her hands clutching a purse. She kicked a pebble away from her. I ran up to her and tapped her shoulder. When she looked at me, I waved at her.

"Ah, it's you," she said. "How are you?"

I gave her a thumbs up.

"That's good. Do you have any plans for today?"

I rubbed my stomach. She chuckled. 

"Ah, where are you going to eat?"

I pointed to the port, where there were fishermen displaying their catches. 

"Oh, you're getting ingredients?"

I gave her another thumbs up.

She looked past me and then behind her. Chiemi strapped her purse on her shoulder. 

"Mind if I tag along?"

I smiled. The two of us walked, side by side, across the rows of people that were also walking. I looked down at her empty hand. I could recall the feeling of her small, soft hand holding mine. The feeling of her knuckles becoming rough as her grip was becoming stronger. How I would hold up our hands in front of us just to compare and take in the similarities we had, despite being different beings. 

When I blinked, she wasn't there anymore. _Had I imagined her leaning on that wall? Did she think my silence was awkward? Does she even know that I'm gone?!_

"Hey!" I heard her voice shout.

I saw her a few feet ahead of me, holding her arm up. I sped walk to her. 

"It's not a good idea to get lost in thought in a busy street like this," she said. "Trust me, it's happened to me more than once." 

She grabbed my hand. 

"There. Now we won't have to get lost."

I could feel my body heat rising. That was the first time since I was a human that she held my hand like that. How tempting it was just to intertwine our fingers and kiss her knuckles. 

Her eyes widened a bit. She placed her free hand on her forehead. I slumped down to look at her.

"Ng...," she let out. She closed her eyes for a bit. I let go of her hand and touched her head.

"I'm fine," she said. "I just....nevermind. You'd probably think I'm being silly."

I grabbed her hand again. This time with both of my hands. 

"Well," Chiemi hesitated. "I think I remembered something."

I released one of my hands and made a circular motion with it. 

"I remember, Toma, Shin and I would hold hands when we were kids. We were often advised to do that so we wouldn't get lost. We stopped as we got older, but there was this one time...." she closed her eyes. "This one time, I was lost. I don't remember where I was before, but for some reason I couldn't find my way home. I tried to hum to myself to calm down. Someone heard me and held my hand to lead me home. I just, can't make out who was the one that took me home."

I was about to pat her head, when Toma came running towards us. 

"Chiemi!" he shouted. 

We both looked at him. He pulled Chiemi away from me, one hand on her shoulder and the other parting her hair. 

"Are you okay? I saw you from the port. You look sick," he said, his voice slightly shaking. 

"I'm fine, Toma," Chiemi tried to reassure him. "I just, remembered something."

Toma looked to me. 

"Is that true?"

I nodded. 

He let out a sigh. 

"I really hope so." He let go of her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your time with him."

"Oh, it's alright. I was just accompanying him with some shopping is all."

He looked back at me.

"Ah, I figured. Why don't you come with me and I'll give you some fish to take home? I'll let you take some for free this time since you were with her."

We were both escorted to the boat that Toma had went fishing on. After he gave me my fish, Chiemi and I went to a nearby supermarket so I could get some other things. I stuck mostly to fruits and vegetables, but my face lit up when I saw packets of what I had believed I would never see again: pudding. I grabbed more than I probably should have, but still had enough to pay for everything. 

Chiemi accompanied me home, helping me carry the bag of supplies I had gotten. I let her in to my house, and she set everything down at the table. 

I handed her a pudding cup as a sign of my gratitude.

"Oh, thank you," she said as she took the cup. "Do you need help with anything else?"

I shook my head.

"Alright, well, I should probably get going. I'll see you later, okay?"  
  


And with that she had left my home. I grabbed a few cups of pudding and laid down on the couch. I would worry about putting everything away later. I removed my shoes and rubbed my feet. It was a bit of a disappointment that she didn't reclaim a memory of me. However, she was recovering and that was a good sign. I would do whatever I could to make her happy and to get her to remember as much as she possibly could. 


	15. His Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone realizes that they don't even know his name.

It was a warm and sunny afternoon when I was painting a portrait of a flower vase in front of me. It was a slow day for the restaurant and the few customers that were present had apparently left some big tips for the waitresses. Sawa had been taking orders while Chiemi was taking dirty plates back into the kitchen. Mine was sitting at a nearby table, her legs swaying back and forth from her seat as she kept turning to the entrance of the restaurant everytime the bell rang. Each time, she would huff and rest her chin on her hands until Sawa brought her drink.

"Thanks," she said, sipping the beverage. 

It wasn't long until Lord Ikki entered. Mine held her head high and waved to him.

"Lord Ikki!" she shouted. He looked to her and waved back. She gave a small squeal at his gesture. 

"Why, I do believe it isn't right for a lady to be seated all by herself," he said. "Mind if I keep you company?"

"Of course you can keep me company, Lord Ikki!"

Ikki sat in a chair next to her and Sawa came back to their table.

"Ah, welcome my lord," she said. She brought out her pen and notepad. "What would the lord like to drink?"

"Some coffee will do just fine," he said. She noted down his order and left them. From the corner of my eye, I could see Waka looking a bit irritated. He walked in my direction before standing behind me.

"Hm, that's an interesting take on the subject," he said. I could see a small grin forming on his face. "You really are good at this. I hope I can display a few of your works in my restaurant."

"I, too, wouldn't mind seeing such art in this establishment," Lord Ikki chimed in, with Mine at his side.

"I agree with Lord Ikki," Mine said, "but I would want to know the name of the artist. What's the point in making art if no one's going to notice you?"

"Lady Mine, there is more to art than fame," Waka lightly scolded. "A piece of art is an extension of the artist, but art can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Therefore, it is not always important for people to know the artist."

Mine gave a small "hmph" sound. 

"Still, we've had him here in our town for quite some time and not once have we heard his name."

"I'm afraid Lady Mine is right," Lord Ikki said.

"Does he even have a name?" she asked.

I put my brush down and faced them. I scanned the area and grabbed a menu that was nearby. As I flipped through the contents, I pointed out to various characters. 

"U?" Lord Ikki asked.

I pointed to another one.

"Ky," Mine muttered.

And the last one.

"O," Waka said. "Ah, so your name is Ukyo?"

I gave a big grin. 

"That's a nice name," a soft voice said from behind Lord Ikki and Mine. 

All of us turned to see Chiemi, carrying a tray of dirty dishes with both of her hands.

"I think Ukyo has a nice ring to it," she said. She walked away from us, going back to her work. 

I turned my attention back to my painting. Except, my mind wasn't focused on flower vase. It was focused on her. 

It felt like forever since she last uttered my name. When she said my name again, my heart fluttered. How unfair it was. She could spoil me by reciting my name, and yet I couldn't even form the sweet sound of hers. Hearing her say it was truly a gift. That grin of mine never did leave for a while.  _Maybe there is hope after all._


	16. Are Mermaids Real?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chiemi visits Sir Kent in his study at the observatory to ask about the existence of mermaids.

It wasn't hard to find the observatory, but it was difficult finding Sir Kent's office. The observatory was rather big and I didn't know which section he was in. After cruising through various hallways, I found his office. I gave a knock on the door.

"Come in," a voice said on the other side. 

I opened it and saw Sir Kent at his desk, fixated on some papers before him. His office was rather homely, with a few potted plants scattered and a couple of sofas in the middle of the room. There was a telescope behind him and the walls had various pictures and paintings of constellations. There were two shelves filled up with books and even some piles of books on the floor. I closed the door behind me, but didn't take another step forward.

"You may sit down if you'd like," he said without looking up at me. 

I carefully made my way to one of the sofas and sat down. 

"Um, is now a bad time to talk to you?" I asked, noticing that he was also jotting down something on a piece of paper.

"No, it's quite alright. It would be if I were writing Ikkyu's test, but since I'm not, I have some spare time to answer whatever questions you had for me."

I opened up my satchel and took out a book with a mermaid on the cover. Sir Kent looked up from whatever it was he was doing and raised an eyebrow.

"What is this?"

"Well, Sir Kent, I was told that you like to study a lot of things, including things that might seem unreal," I began. "I was just wondering," I took a firm grip on the book, "well, what I'm hoping is," I could feel sweat trickling down my neck. I didn't want to come off as a crazy woman, but I didn't know if there was anyone else I could talk to about this. And Sir Kent seemed like the type of person who would study things like this. "I was wondering if it's possible that mermaids exist!" I said out loud and very fast. 

Sir Kent put down his pen. 

"What?"

I gulped. "Is it possible for mermaids to exist?" I asked sheepishly.

Sir Kent let out a sigh.

"You mean to tell me that the thing you wanted to talk about was whether or not a creature that has only been mentioned in folklore and legends is real?"

I put the book back in the satchel, feeling my face turning red. 

"You don't have to leave," he said. "But I am curious as to why you would want to discuss something like that."

I took a deep breath. 

"You see," I began, "I've been getting my memories back, but I've also been having these weird dreams lately."

"Ones that involve mermaids?"

"Well, more like a merman from what I can tell, but yes. I know it sounds silly, but I've been dreaming about swimming alongside a merman. And normally I would dismiss it as a fantasy, but it just feels familiar. I don't know if I was ever interested in mermaids before my amnesia or if maybe, just maybe..."

I couldn't bring myself to finish that sentence. Sir Kent got up from his desk and browsed through one of the shelves. He grabbed one, flipped through the pages, and placed it under his arm before browsing again. He repeated this process until he was holding three books. He handed me the books.

"These should be of use to you."

I grabbed the books and flipped them over. One book was about the deciphering of dreams while the other two were recollections of people claiming to have spotted things that didn't seem real. I didn't quite know how to react, but it did seem like he was trying to help me in some way.

"Oh, uh, thank you," I said. 

I put the other book I had taken with me back in my satchel, along with one of the books he had given me, and picked up the rest. Before he went back to his desk, he sat down next to me.

"You know, I sometimes forget that you're not you yet. I was half-expecting for you to criticize my efforts in helping you." He looked at my satchel. "This may surprise you, but I actually wouldn't doubt the existence of mermaids." He pointed to the book I had brought. "I think that was one of the earliest literary works on mermaids that I had ever read. So, you don't have to feel ashamed of talking to me about this stuff. Because I'm crazy enough to believe it, too."

He got up and ruffled my hair. 

"Anyway, you can read those here if you'd like. Just know that I'll only be here for a couple of more hours."

He sat back down in front of his desk. 

I put three of the books aside, and began reading one of the recollection works. It didn't feel so warm in the room after that. 


	17. Not Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo reminisces his time with Chiemi when he was still a merman. When she comes to visit, he realizes that he isn't as alone in his suffering as he might think.

Another world, another chance at winning Chiemi's heart. Ukyo was at the point where Ikki's ball wasn't announced just yet, but sometime after he had gotten settled in to human living. He was already starting to grasp the concept of human currency as he counted the money he had earned from selling pearls that day. His hair flowed out from his shoulder and got in the way a few times. After he finished counting, he grabbed the ends of his hair and rubbed them together.

He remembered the times she would have her fingers go through his hair. The way her hands grabbed different layers of his hair and formed a braid. The ribbon she gave him to hold it together. He slumped on the couch and rubbed his thighs. It felt so long since she was the only one of the two who possessed a pair of legs. How he wanted to feel her thighs again. Her legs. Her toes. Ukyo wanted to see Chiemi perform tricks for him again and he would show off his gills to her. And she would caress his gills. He wanted to swim with her under the water. For her to see all the places he grew up in. If Ukyo could have gone to Nhil earlier, he would have asked him for a chance for Chiemi to see his grandfather's cavern. For the two of them to go back and forth between sea and land.

There was a knock on the door.

Ukyo latched on to the armrest of the couch as he got up. He made long yet careful leaps to the door. Once he opened the door, she was standing there. Chiemi had worn a blue, sailor hat with a striped dress. She looked up at him, with her hands behind her back.

"Um...Ukyo," she said softly. "Are you busy?"

He shook his head. 

"May I come in? I promise it'll be quick, but I need to tell someone this."

He opened the door up to as wide as it could be and stepped aside. She tapped the front of her shoes before entering his home. He closed the door behind her and motioned her to sit on the couch as he opted on grabbing a chair from the kitchen for himself. Chiemi was clutching something in her hands. 

"Ukyo. I found this in my mailbox."

She handed him a folded up piece of paper. Ukyo unravelled it and it was a letter. Although he was still learning how to read human words, he was able to piece together what the letter meant. The handwriting was on point and very squished together. It was written in black ink and had what he knew were exclamations marks at the end of most sentences. Ukyo looked up at Chiemi and could see her arms shakings.

"I know it doesn't have a name, but I know who it's from," she said. "Before I went back to my home, I saw her put it on my door. She didn't see me, but she sprinted out of there and back in her carriage the moment she had put the letter away." 

Ukyo put the letter aside.

"I know it's selfish of me to come to you, especially when I know you can't talk. But I don't know who I'm supposed to turn to for this." She pulled her hat on her head with force. "Shin tells me I wasn't much of a complainer before. Toma tells me I was vulnerable. Sawa says that we were close, but that I wouldn't always tell her what was on my mind. Lord Ikki says I had a backbone. Sir Kent says I was unpredictable. And Lady Mine seems to really admire Lady Rika. I don't know how she'd react if she knew Lady Rika was doing stuff like this."

Chiemi pulled her hat over her eyes. 

"I'm so sorry for dumping all of this on you. I know it must be weird to have a stranger tell you all of this. Even worse when it's a stranger that doesn't even know who she's supposed to be." 

Ukyo could see the tears trickling down her face. He felt his eyes get watery, too. He mustered his courage and stood from his chair. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into an embrace. She didn't say anything, but she did let out a surprised gasp. He rubbed her back, taking a deep breath as he tried to prevent himself from crying. Chiemi looked up from her spot.

"Ukyo?"

Chiemi didn't look scared as much as she looked confused. Ukyo let go of her. He pretended to open a door and then had his hand circle towards himself. He then placed his hand over his ear before pointing to her. 

"Are you sure?"

He wiped a tear away from her eye with his thumb. She chuckled a bit.

"Hey, just because you wipe my tears away doesn't mean you can steal them."

Ukyo touched his cheek and realized he had let his own tears escape, too.

"I guess you probably do know what I'm going through after all." 

She tiptoed and wiped away his tears.

It was so weird for him. He was standing right in front of her instead of sitting or lying beside her. He could only imagine what it would be like if he could pick her up. He would have done so, even if it meant more pressure for his feet. He may not have been able to go back to those days of being a merman and being able to kiss her so easily. But getting chances to start over like this weren't so bad, either. 

 

Chiemi was able to tell everyone what had happened with Ukyo by her side. Through confessing, the two of them also learned that Lady Rika had done stunts like this before to any girl that got close to Lord Ikki. And since most of them were beneath him in class, Lady Rika often got away with scaring those women off while nobles were intimidated by other forces. Lady Mine would have also been a target had it not been obvious that Lord Ikki was showing more attention to Chiemi. When the truth was revealed, Lord Ikki announced that he would never marry Lady Rika and she was forced to give a public apology. Lady Rika then left the town some time before the invitations to the ball were sent out.


	18. Letting It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although she doesn't know why, Chiemi believes that she must have had some history with mermaids.

I had read through the books that Kent had given me, but none of them seemed to be of much help to me. Or at the very least, I couldn't figure out what some of them were trying to say. I decided to put the books away and look around my home to find anything that may have something to do with my dreams. My closet had my clothes and shoes, but there were also some toys that looked like they weren't played with in years. None of them were a fish or a mermaid. I went through my drawers to find some books I suppose I was a fan of, but again, none of them were related to mermaids. 

I thought that going into the ocean for a swim might have helped, but I doubt anyone would want me going near the beach after the accident. From what I understand, I was drowning and was lucky to have been washed up on shore. I sit down in front of a vanity and touch my face. My reflection doesn't tell me anything about who I was before as there aren't any visible scars. I don't have a journal. Any portraits I might have primarily consist of what I assume to be my family. And even then those don't tell me anything. I got up from my seat and drop on my bed. If I could at least find out what I was like with other people, then I could manage living a normal life. So, why has my head been thinking about mermaids instead of what it needs to think about? If there's one good thing about these dreams, though, is that I can pretend to be normal.

As I slept, my body was surrounded by water. My legs were kicking and my hair was swaying with the current. There was a fishtail in front of me. I caught up with it. The closer I got to it, the more I saw the torso of a man. But his face was darkened. I couldn't make out who he was. 

* * *

 

The next day at work, I found myself making more mistakes than usual. Sawa helped me out a few times. She corrected a few orders for me and helped me pick up a plate I had dropped. I couldn't bear to look the manager in the eye while I was going about my work. I tried to make up for my mistakes by picking up my pace when it came to putting the dirty dishes away. But I knew that wasn't enough. Near the end of my shift, Waka stood in front of me.

"Chiemi," he said in a quiet, yet stern tone.

"Yes, sir?" I replied, trying to calm the nerves on my body.

"I know you're still in the midst of recovering your memories and that you must be going through some stress," he said. He pushed up his glasses. "However, today you seem to be doing worse than before."  
  


"I'm sorry, sir."

"Don't be. I believe it would be best if you took the next two days off. I expect you to take this time to sort out any issues you are currently having."

"Yes, sir."

He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"This isn't a punishment," he said. "Think of it as a time of self-reflection. When you return to work, you'll do better. You're free to stop by here anytime you'd like. I may be your boss, but Sawa or I will be willing to help you with sorting out your feelings."

I stood firm.

"Thank you, sir."

 

I left the restaurant and looked out at the sea. Seagulls were flying overhead, families were leaving, and only a few people were left relaxing on the sand. Only one or two people were in the water. Everyone else remained on towels. I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere by going home. I made my way down to the beach. I walked past everyone that was there and leaned in on the rough wall. It was far from comfortable, but I beared with it. 

There were footsteps that were approaching me. When I turned to see whose, Ukyo was there. He looked up and down at me.

"It's alright. I'm fine," I reassured him.

He placed his hand over his chest and let out a silent sigh. He didn't lean back against the wall, but he did look out at the sea with me. 

"It looks beautiful, doesn't it?" I asked him.

Ukyo nodded in agreement. He pointed straight ahead before he kneeled down on the sand and drew a house. 

"Oh, your home is out there?"

Once again, he nodded. He drew a small stick figure alongside a tall stick figure. The tall stick figure had curves inside the head. I couldn't quite figure out who that figure was supposed to represent before Ukyo got up and hunched over.

"Ah, you had a grandpa that you were close with?"

He gave a thumbs up.

I knelt down beside him.

"Do you miss your home?"

His long, green hair fell past his shoulder and covered his face. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude with a personal question."

He shook his hands, before he scratched his chin as if wondering how to explain himself. Ukyo then drew a smile followed by an arrow that pointed to a long building with a fish in the center. He cleared the sand and looked back at me. I didn't know why, but I felt like we had been on this beach together before. With no one to bother us. I must have dozed off because when I blinked, Ukyo's face was blushing. 

"Huh?"

That's when I saw that my hand was on top of his. I quickly stood up, clearing the sand from my skirt. 

"I am so sorry!" 

Ukyo stood up, too, shaking his head. 

We both turned our heads from looking at one another. Surprisingly, he put his hand out and pointed to the entrance of the town. I held his hand and we walked back. His grip was firm, but the rest of his body looked less tense. When we got back, he let go of my hand. I knew his place wasn't far from mine, but it looked like he didn't want to walk with me. That's when I got an idea.

"Hey, how about we race to that streetlight over there?" I proposed.

Ukyo tilted his head.

"You know? Race. If you win, I'll help you with your grocery shopping tomorrow and I'll even pay for half of it. If I win, you have to make me a painting of whatever I want. Deal?"

Ukyo positioned himself with his right leg back and his upper body forward. 

"Ready? Go!"

I ran as fast as I could to the streetlight. I looked back to see Ukyo struggling to keep up. I thought he would have had the lead considering his legs were longer than mine. Unfortunately for him, that didn't secure him victory as I reached the streetlight first. He still made his way to the finish line though he was panting when he touched the light. He pointed at me and copied my running with his fingers. 

"I know I'm fast," I told him.

He hugged the streetlight, as he banged his head on it.

"Hey, are you alright?"

He nodded. 

"Um, if it'll help, you don't actually have to paint me anything."

He held a finger up before composing himself. Ukyo pointed in the direction of the restaurant and then at me and then he lifted his arm up like a hook.

"You want to hear my request tomorrow?"

He nodded. 

We walked together until we reached his place. Before I left for my own, I thanked him for spending time with me and that I looked forward to seeing him tomorrow. But then I said something out loud that I hadn't realized until it was too late.

"You know, not that I want this to be painted, but I think it would be nice to see a mermaid. I keep dreaming about one and as silly as it is, I think they might be real."

I shut my mouth with my hands and turned to him. His mouth was open and his eyes were wide. I stumbled backwards and picked myself up.

"Eh, heh, that, I," I struggled to find the perfect words until I blurted out, "bye," and dashed off. When I got home, I found that I didn't feel embarrassed. In fact, a part of me felt relieved in some way. 

I thought it would have weirded him out, but when I went to see him the next day, he was painting a portrait of a merman before he smiled at me.


	19. Workings of Proposals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo doesn't understand the human concept of marriage proposals. After some explaining, he has his eyes on one woman he'd like to propose to.

It was a cool evening when I was commissioned to paint a portrait of a group sitting at a table in Waka's restaurant. I had added the final touches to the way I wanted the painting to pop out. Nearby, there was a man and a woman who were drinking champagne together. I wouldn't have noticed them had everyone around me not looked in their direction. When I faced them, the man was on one knee and held out a diamond ring to the woman. The woman was covering her mouth before shouting, "YES!" Nearly everyone, including Sawa, were applauding. I turned back to my work and showed my clients the painting. They all thanked me for my work and paid me, but not before making comments as to what had happened.

"That was so sweet," one of the group members said.

"Oh, I wish someone would propose to me like that," another member added.

"Ah, I wonder when the wedding will be!" someone squealed.

As they walked out, I was forming questions in my head. _Propose? Wedding?_ I gathered my things and headed to a room at the back of the restaurant where Waka was filling out some paperwork. He didn't look up to me, but he did speak before I could get his attention.

"I heard the proposal outside," he said. "That young man had spoken to me about proposing to the young woman he had been courting for years. And with a reservation and a payment ahead of schedule, I gave him permission to propose here."

I scratched my head trying to piece together what he was talking about. When he finally looked at me, I was still confused. 

"Do you know what a marriage proposal is?" he asked.

I shook my head. He pointed his pen to a chair in front of his desk. I sat down as he set his papers aside. 

"Were there no marriages in your hometown?"

I affirmed to him that there was. Of course, without my voice, I couldn't explain what marriage meant to me as a merman.

"Perhaps it's different where you're from." 

Waka leaned underneath his desk to take out a book. He passed the book to me. The book had a cover of a man wearing a tuxedo and a woman in a big, white gown in front of a man wearing a black suit with a white collar. The woman was holding an array of roses and had a veil that trailed behind her. 

"A marriage proposal is essentially when a man asks a woman to marry him. It isn't always a man and a woman getting married as there are cases of two people of the same sex marrying one another, but it is the most common. In most places, it is custom for the man to select a ring that he would like to present to his potential bride."

I pointed to a skull-shaped ruby ring he had on his desk. He turned red and put the ring in his pocket. 

"Ah, not like that one. Well, it could be, but that's not what this ring is for." He coughed. "The ring often has a well-cut stone in the center. Most people go with diamonds, but pearls aren't an uncommon choice either."

He took the book from my hands. 

"If the woman says yes to his proposal, they then plan for a wedding to take place. It's at the wedding where they make their vows to remain faithful to one another and to cherish each other in front of their loved ones."

_What a beautiful concept._

"Of course, there are some proposals that are not up to the individuals. Some families choose potential bachelors or bachelorettes for their children. Sometimes a wedding is planned as soon as a family has a child. Ultimately, a person is free to choose who they want to marry and spend the rest of their days with." 

I took a look back at the restaurant. There were couples coming and going. Some young. Some old. Most of them looked happy, though. I let out a smile.

"Is there someone you have in mind to propose to?"

I looked away from him and felt my face burning. I saw that there was a portrait of the employees of the restaurant. Waka, Sawa, Toma....and Chiemi. Smiling ever so brightly. Her cheeks a perfect tint of pink and her eyes capturing the essence of all that is good in this life. 

Waka let out a chuckle.

"When you're ready to propose to her, let me know." 

I bowed and made my way out.

Merpeople don't have ceremonies to commemorate a couple being together. Our marriages work in that we choose a partner to stay by our side and sleep with. I never knew humans had to take specific steps before getting to that point. Still, it is a nice way of showing it. Maybe if I could give Chiemi a proposal that makes her feel special, perhaps we could get married. After all, Nhil never said how we had to get married. 

As soon as I left the restaurant, I went looking for the loveliest pearl I could find. 


	20. Last Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo has died again. But before going to this next world, a startling revelation is revealed.

Ukyo's soul had reached Nhil again. Ukyo stopped keeping track of his deaths after that one world where Toma drowned him. Of course, not every world ended in homicide as there were plenty of times where Ukyo opted on killing himself like he had in the original one. And then there were times where his death was an accident like how he thought he could catch a bird only to fall over a cliff. Those are the deaths he'd rather forget. However, he would make it a point to do one thing before he died: see his beloved get married to a man that had stolen her heart. It was always different, though it tended to be among four guys: Shin the cabin boy, Toma the fisher, Ikki the nobleman, or Kent the astrologist. She would usually believe one of them was her true savior. And, of course, none of them would deny it. Not because they wanted to take advantage of her, but because they often thought she was referring to one of them who found her on shore. And every world had a different set of guys find her. Although he would still be hurt that she wouldn't remember him, he thought her happiness and safety was more important. As long as she was living a life of her own choice and was happy with it, that's all that mattered to him. 

 

As his soul reached Nhil, there was a rather ice-cold atmosphere the closer he approached the warlock. Orion was swimming behind him as he caught up to the cave. Nhil grabbed Ukyo's soul and projected the hologram of his body around the room. 

"Ukyo," Nhil said. Orion had finally caught up. He held his head high, wondering what his master was going to say.

"Nhil?" Ukyo responded. "Ah, I died again. It must be starting to become troublesome for you the more I die."

Orion swam next to his master.

"It really is," Orion said. "This girl must be special if you keep choosing not to take her life so that you may end your pain."

"I think it'd be more painful if anything bad were to happen to her," Ukyo said. 

Nhil looked away from Ukyo. His tentacles were bunched up together. He let out a sigh.

"There's something important that we need to discuss," Nhil said. Nhil conjured up a small portal that was swirling and had stars inside. "This may seem sudden, but judging by the energy levels of this magic, I feel it must be said. We've been going through many worlds and the energy to keep performing these world jumps is running low. I'm afraid that this next jump we're about to make will be our last."

"What?!" Orion shouted. "But Master Nhil, you're the most powerful warlock in existence. How can this be?"

Nhil chuckled. "Even powerful warlocks and witches have their limits."

"It's okay, Orion," Ukyo reassured the boy, "I had a feeling this moment would come sooner or later."

Nhil faced Ukyo.

"Now, this is the most important decision we face. This next world will be your last chance to get that girl to remember you. If you feel like giving up, speak now so that I may free your soul in this world. Otherwise, you will have to marry her in the next world in order to get rid of the pain your body faces. Are you willing to move forward or would you like to stop here?"

Ukyo recalled every moment he spent with Chiemi. Whether as a merman or as a human, he always found himself learning something new by being around her. For whatever reason, she seemed to fill his heart by giving such a beautiful smile to him and letting him hear her adorable laugh.

"I won't give up," Ukyo made clear. "I will keep pursuing her and help her remember me. Even if I fail, I have to try."

Nhil smiled slightly.

"Very well, then. Let us journey in to our final world."

And so, the portal was expanded and all three of them were sucked in.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this drabble. To be honest, I keep thinking about whether or not I should write the drabble where Toma kills Ukyo. On one hand, I think it would be interesting and it would certainly be the darkest drabble I write for this AU. On the other hand, I don't want to make Toma seem like the bad guy when he really isn't. Or at least, he isn't the main antagonist of the AU. Do you guys think I should write that drabble or would you rather I skip it all together?


	21. That Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo takes Chiemi to the place where they used to meet up.

Chiemi had the day off and, for whatever reason, wanted to spend it with me. The two of us walked alongside the beach, going further away from the other people that were there. She had removed her shoes to feel the sand in between her toes. The weather wasn't too bad, so the sand was at least far from incredibly warm. I didn't feel the need to take off my shoes. With or without them, the stinging pain didn't vanish. How I wanted to just lie down on the sand and not move my feet any further. But just then, I could see that we were getting closer to our old meeting place. My eyes lit up. I looked down at her and she seemed to be focused on that place, too. I walked faster, grabbing her hand so that she could go back to that place. There was a little rocky cavern that separated that place from the rest of the beach and it was around the corner that made it hard for people to see just what exactly was on the other side. I had rushed us to the point that any seagulls that were in our way started fluttering away. When we got there, I let go of her hand and panted. I could hear her pant as well and wished I could apologize for that. Chiemi looked around the place. I wanted her to look at the shore. I wanted her to look at the rocks that we used to sit on. 

"It's...quiet," she said softly. She put her shoes down and headed to the shore. The water swept across her feet and she shook up, laughing. 

"Ah, it's cold!" she screeched. 

I gave a silent laugh. That's when it hit me. I took off my shoes and my pants, wearing nothing but my shirt and underwear. 

"What are you doing?" Chiemi asked. 

I swung my arms in circles in front of me. 

"Oh, you want to go swimming." Chiemi had a small blush across her face before shaking her head. "You know what? I think I could go for a short swim."

I smiled at her and ran into the water. I allowed my body to go deeper into the water. It was cold, sending chills down my spine. But this was one of the rare occassions I found myself back where I belonged. Chiemi was taking off her dress to reveal a frilly undershirt and shorts. Once she was done, she tapped her foot in the water and walked back. She did it again, but this time went forward ever so slowly. I dove into the water and moved my legs in synchronized motion. For some reason, I wasn't going very far like I'm used to. I tried pushing myself with my arms, but that didn't work much. I could see her under the water and waved to her, and then I found myself falling into the ocean floor. The water going into my nose was too much, so I spread my legs apart and kicked myself back up to the surface. When I got back up, my nose blast out water and I found myself coughing, gasping for air. Chiemi popped her head from the surface, spitting out some water and swam closer to me.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

I nodded, still kicking to keep myself above the water. 

"Have you ever swam before?"

I affirmed that I had, but she didn't seem to believe it. She swam a little ways ahead of me.

"Come on, let's get closer to the shore."

I sighed and followed. I was soon able to stand though she was still floating above the water. 

"I think here should be fine for us to swim. That way, we don't go completely in the deep end." 

She ducked in the water while I focued on moving some water upwards. I guess I should have known that I would have had to swim differently since I lost my tail. I put my head back and closed my eyes, letting the sun hit my face. There were gentle waves that passed by me. My hair had spread out. Just then, a flick of water hit my face. I opened my eyes to see her there, laughing. I held my head up and splashed water back at her. She swam away from me and I chased after her as best as I could. We then kept splashing water to each other, back and forth, before finding ourselves back on land. We looked at each other, my hand moving to be on top of hers. Then, she put her hand on her head. Her eyes grew wide. 

* * *

 

"Shin, quit being mean!" a girl's voice screeched. 

"I'm not the one being annoying!" a boy wearing a red jumpsuit complained.

"Okay, you two, let's just calm down," an older boy with an orange shirt said as he tried to break apart the other two children.

"I know you just hate being around me!" the girl screamed before dashing off from the boys.

"Chiemi!" the older boy called out. 

She ran as fast as she could. Before she knew it, she was on the beach. She didn't want to be surrounded by people at that time, so she ran across the beach. That's when she came across a small cavern that she was able to go through. She found that she was the only human there as a bunch of seagulls populated the area. She didn't care, though. She went ahead and found a place to sit among the numerous birds. She began crying and looked out in the horizon. Then she decided to put herself closer to the shore, just so she could feel the waves hit her. It was oddly calming and she started feeling better. 

_Was this me?_

* * *

 

Chiemi blinked. Luckily, her trance didn't last too long. She looked at me. 

"Ukyo," she said, "I know this place. I've been here before."

It was my turn for my eyes to widen.

"When I was ten, I got into a fight with Shin and I think maybe Toma, too. I don't remember what we were fighting about, but I was upset and ran away from them. I found myself on the beach and wandered into this part. It had a lot of seagulls, yet that didn't bother me. I started feeling better here. I did go back to my brothers, but I remember that this was a special place for me. I came back here whenever I was feeling sad or if there was no one to hang out with."

She remembers this place. My heart was skipping beats. 

"Though, I feel like, at some point, I wasn't alone. And I don't mean the seagulls. I mean I have a strange feeling that someone else might have been with me, too. I just, don't think I ever told anyone that I came here. So, I don't know if it's even possible to have had someone with me."

How I wanted to point at myself. I wanted to wave my arms and let her know I was the one she was with. Of course, it would have sounded weird. She had just remembered this place. She didn't yet remember me. If I did tell her, she would have probably thought I was crazy.

What she said next, however, really touched me.

"You know, even if this place was exclusively for me, I don't think I'd mind coming here with you." She began doodling on the sand with her finger. "Even if you could talk, I think this place was meant for us. We're both outsiders in our own unique ways and I think us outsiders need a place for us to just get away from it all."

I cupped some water in my hands and splashed it in my face. I didn't want her to see the tears that were coming out of me. I rubbed my eyes, and she got up.

"I guess we should be heading back, now. Let's come back another day."

I got up to follow her. We put our clothes back on and made our way to the port. Toma and Shin were there. Toma was knelt down beside Shin, who was throwing up into a bucket. 

"Oh no, what happened?" Chiemi asked.

"Ah, hello, Chiemi," Toma said. "Don't mind us. Someone here forgot to take his medicine before going to work."

"Shut up," Shin mustered out before throwing up again. 

"Why would he need medicine for work?" 

"Oh, I don't think we ever told you, but Shin works on a tour boat," Toma answered. "But, he does get seasick very easily, so he has to take medicine before and after he goes to work. But he forgot to take them this morning, so that's why we're here now."

Shin wiped his mouth with his arm.

"I managed to hold it in for the day, though," Shin said.

"That doesn't mean it was okay for you to forget. I could make sure you take your medicine like I used to when we were kids."

"I don't need a babysitter."

"Well, today says otherwise."

I decided to go on ahead to my house to let Chiemi catch up with Shin and Toma. When I got to my place, I headed straight to the bathtub. Lying there, I closed my eyes and fell asleep. At least Chiemi remembered our meeting place. For the first time in a while, I felt hope. 


	22. Growing Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chiemi wants to seek out the one who saved her, but her heart beats faster when Ukyo is near her.

I was with Toma and Shin at the pier. The two of them were sharing with me some old memories of the three of us. I had been starting to get an idea on who those two were. I regained a few memories of us walking and playing together as children. At that time, the three of us were skipping stones across the ocean. We were competing to see whose stone would go farther. Shin and I were getting competitive while Toma was throwing the stones with relaxed muscles and not much concentration.

"C'mon, man, don't go easy on us," Shin complained.

"Eh, but I'm sure Chiemi wants to win and it wouldn't be fair to have an amnesiac lose," Toma said to defend himself.

"Toma, it's fine," I told him. "You don't have to go easy on me. Just because I have amnesia doesn't mean I can't handle a bit of competition."

"Yeah, Toma. Quit babying her," Shin added.

"Alright, alright," Toma said. "But don't start crying once I whoop both your butts."

The three of us continued skipping stones, except now more seriously. Toma and Shin were paying more attention to each other to the point where they were dumbfounded when they saw my stone skip the farthest. Shin let out a huff while Toma sighed. I clasped my hands in excitement and gave a victory squeal.

"I must be getting old," Toma whined.

"I hate that I lost, but congratulations Chiemi," Shin said as he took his hand out and we shook on my win.

"Yeah, you're still good," Toma relented while patting my head. 

The three of us remained seated at the edge of the pier, talking about how things had been. Shin kept complaining every time Toma brought up his sea sickness and Toma bragged about the amount of lobsters he had managed to trap the other day. I didn't have much to say, but I kept thinking about how everyone remembered that ship being on fire except me. The only thing I could remember was being on the beach, with someone over me. I had the feeling that someone had saved me. But I didn't know for sure. 

I must have spaced out for a bit if it led to Shin snapping his fingers in front of my face. I blinked to see that the sun had already been setting. The three of us got up and walked back to the town. 

"Hey, do you guys want to see the albino fish I caught the other day?" Toma asked. "I kept it preserved back at my home."

I shook my head. "Sorry, Toma, but I need to do some stuff at home."

"We can stop by your place tomorrow," Shin said. 

"Sounds good," Toma replied with a smile. 

We all waved each other goodbye. Though, instead of going home, I headed in the direction of the market place. I stood behind a wall to an alleyway and saw him. Ukyo was putting his things away. His hair was still in the braid I had done for him this morning. He covered each tray of pearls with care without getting up from his seat. My heart was pounding with every movement he made. When he turned to my direction, I quickly hid myself. I took a small peak to see him resuming his work. I walked away.

In my mind, I kept thinking about the man who had saved me. I had wanted to meet him. I wanted to give him my thanks. And a part of me felt obliged to stick with my savior for the rest of my days. Yet, I had been feeling a strong urge to be with Ukyo. Then, Waka and Sawa were in front of me. 

"Oh, hello Sawa and Mr. Waka," I said. 

"Good evening, Chiemi," Waka replied.

"Yo, Chiemi," Sawa responded. "We just closed up the restaurant for the day and I was showing the manager the way to Lady Mine's house. Wanna tag along?"

"Oh, uh, maybe another time," I said with a raspy voice. 

The two of them looked at each other before facing me again. 

"What's wrong?" Sawa asked.

I turned behind me very quickly before answering.

"I just, have a lot on my mind."

Sawa placed a hand on my shoulder. 

"You can tell us."

"I thought you were going to see Lady Mine?"

"We still have some time before she expects our arrival," Waka said.

I let out a sigh and held my hands together. 

"You see, I keep thinking about finding out who saved me in that ship wreckage," I let out. "I think it's only fair that I do everything I can to be by the one who saved me. If it weren't for him, then I wouldn't be here."

I paused and took a deep breath. 

"But, there's someone that...I've been growing close to," I continued. "And I think we have some common ground. We're both outsiders in our own ways and he was the first person to treat me like a normal girl even when he found out I had amnesia. I just, don't know what to do. I feel like I'd be betraying the one who came to my rescue if I pursued a relationship with someone else."

Sawa looked confused while Waka remained focused.

"Chiemi," Waka began, "no one can decide what to do for you. But if you want some input, then this is what I have to say: maybe you should start thinking about what it is you want. If the person who saved you truly cares about you, then I think he would most likely want you to be happy with the person you truly want to be with. It might be best if you pursued someone you know is real and who you know will always be there for you."

"Yeah, what he said," Sawa said. 

I smiled at them. 

"Thank you."

When I got home that night, I knew who it was I wanted to be with. I made my resolve that I would confess my feelings to him at Lord Ikki's ball. That night, I had a dream that I was dancing with a merman in the sea. As weird as it was, I was starting to believe that these merman dreams meant that I was getting closer to happiness.


	23. Fun and Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sawa spends some time with Chiemie and Ukyo. Meanwhile, Rika's brother has arrived on the island.

Chiemi, Ukyo, and Sawa were at a park that had a riverbend just below them. Sawa handed them some pamphlets she had gotten from her second job working as a guide on a tour boat. 

"I think it's about time the two of you went on one of the tour boats," she told them. 

They both flipped through them, unsure of where Sawa was going with this.

"Um, Sawa, I don't mean to be rude, but what are these for?" Chiemi asked.

"I'm glad you asked, my dear Chiemi. I've noticed that the two of you haven't gone out much aside from work and the beach. Which is why I think it would be a good opportunity for the two of you to take a trip on one of the tour boats the island gives."

Ukyo scratched his head. He looked out at the riverbend and his eyes widened. He had never realized there was water like this on land, too.

Chiemi, meanwhile, rubbed her wrists. She turned her head towards some trees that were behind Sawa.

"No need to look gloom, you two," Sawa said. "The boat isn't going to go very far into the sea. Plus, these tours typically take place during the day and we always cancel tours whenever there's a chance of rain." She patted Chiemi's head. "And Shin and I will be on board. So, if you feel nervous, you can come to one of us. Though if you choose to look for Shin, you might want to give him a doggy bag just as a precaution."

Chiemi giggled. She turned to face Ukyo, whose eyes were still glued to the river. She looked down at the river, too, but didn't see anything strange about it.

"Are there rivers where you're from?" Chiemi asked.

Ukyo shook his head. He wondered if that water was a part of his ocean. Chiemi grabbed his hand. 

"How about we go down there?" Chiemi then turned to Sawa. "Sawa, is it okay for us to mess around in the river?"

"I don't see why not?" Sawa chimed in. 

The three of them rushed down to the riverbend. They took off their shoes before stepping into the water barefoot. Beneath the water wasn't sand. It was rocks. Rocks that felt kind of rough on Ukyo's feet. Yet, the water felt different compared to the sea. He scooped up some of it and he could see the water clearly. He put some in his mouth. It lacked a salty taste. It was cool and refreshing. He could actually stand to swallow the water. Before he knew it, Sawa had kicked the water everywhere. 

"Yahoo!" she shouted. "Water fight!"

Chiemi splashed back at Sawa, to which Sawa merely laughed. 

"Hah! Is that all you've got?"

Ukyo joined in on the fun and kicked water toward the two girls. The girls screeched, but managed to splash him back. Chiemi was kicking some of the water when her foot slipped on one of the rocks and she fell back. As she fell backwards, Ukyo reached out to grab her before her head hit the ground. He managed to get a hold of her arm and he held on to it tightly. Sawa stood there, her hands covering her open mouth. 

"Chiemi, are you okay?!" she asked. 

"Yes, Chiemi, are you okay?" another female voice asked. Everyone turned to see Lady Mine a little ways above them, a pink parasol in hand. 

"Lady Mine," Chiemi uttered as she got back on her feet. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I was just passing by. I'm supposed to meet up with Lady Rika here. She told me her brother would be here and she wanted to introduce me to him." Lady Mine stared coldly at Sawa. "You should have known better than to play with them here like children. Chiemi could have gotten hurt. Again."

Sawa gulped, rubbing the back of her head. 

"I just wanted us to have a bit of fun, you know?" Sawa meekly defended herself.

"Hmph. You're supposed to be older, yet you act so childish."

Sawa's face turned red. 

"Anyway, I should be off," Lady Mine said. "I'll see you around."

As she walked away, Chiemi placed a hand on Sawa's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sawa," Chiemi said, "I don't blame you. I'm glad we could play here for a bit."

Ukyo nodded in agreement. 

Sawa's eyes got watery. She pulled the two of them in for a hug. 

 

Meanwhile, Lady Mine spotted Lady Rika and rushed to her. Lady Rika was wearing a rather huge, feathered hat to protect her face from the sun. Behind Lady Rika was a young man with wavy, blonde hair.

"Miss Mine," Lady Rika said as she motioned her arm towards the young man, "this is my dear brother, Luka. He's been away for quite some time and has recently decided to stay on the island for a while."

Lord Luka gave a slight bow to Lady Mine. 

"A pleasure to meet you Miss," he said in a rather chivalrous tone. 

Lady Mine had a blush form on her face. This man was surely handsome to her and he had such a polite way of presenting himself. 

As Lord Luka straightened himself up, he spotted a young girl in the distance. A girl with short, light brown hair walking behind another woman of long, brown hair in a ponytail and just up ahead of a young man with long, flowing green hair. Yet, it was that girl, one with such lovely skin and a genuinely innocent smile that caught his attention. 

He coughed a little. 

"Lady Mine, could you excuse my sister and I for a moment?" Lord Luka asked.

"O-oh, of course," Lady Mine complied as she watched the two of them huddle close together.

Lord Luka leaned in on his sister's ear. 

"Sister, do you know who that woman with the short hair in the distance is?" he whispered. 

Lady Rika looked out to see who he was talking about. Surely, she spotted the person he was talking about, now sitting behind the fellow with the green hair whose hair was being braided. 

"Brother, that would have to be Miss Chiemi," she answered. "I'm afraid she is a commoner who was recently struck with amnesia. She barely knows a thing about her past and who she is." 

Lord Luka saw her small form. The smile that was on her face. The way the sun shone on her skin. She was perfect to him.

"Sister, I do believe we must speak more about her when we return home," he said. 

Although Lady Rika had intended on pawning off Lady Mine to him, she didn't have a problem with him desiring Chiemi. It would still end with one less competitor for Lord Ikki's heart.


	24. Resolutions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo and Luka both resolve to confess to Chiemi at Lord Ikki's ball.

Ukyo was outside of his shack home. He sat on a stool and had a canvas open out. He was painting a portrait. It wasn't a portrait that was commissioned. Nor was it a portrait of himself. This particular portrait was of the woman he loved. 

_There's a chance that I may not survive in this world. But even if I turn into sea foam, I want her to know just how beautiful she is in my eyes._

As he continued with every stroke, mixing in greens and blues with a hint of pink, he reminisced about all the times they spent together. Even when she had lost her memories, she retained her kind, thoughtful, pouty, stubborn nature. Ukyo felt blessed to have had a girl like her in his life. He was so happy that she was the first human he got to know. He placed the paint brush down. Ukyo knew what he wanted to do.

Lord Ikki's ball was coming up. Although it was typical for her to confess to him that she had fallen for another man, a man that she would believe was the one who saved her, he knew he had to let her know how he felt about her. Ukyo took his canvas inside. When he set it aside, he went over to his bed that was covered with his clothes. He pulled out a very nice suit. He grabbed the ends of his hair and knew he would have it braided for the ball. Then he reached into his pocket to feel the roundness of the pearl ring he had harvested just for her. 

Ukyo had to let her know how he felt. It was better to get rejected than to have died without ever having confessed. There was a red ribbon on the nightstand. He reached for it and put it to his lips.

* * *

 

"And so, this Chiemi woman has no memory of the ship wreck?" Luka asked as a household maid poured tea for him and his sister. 

"No, but she does insist on one memory," Rika answered. "The girl believes someone saved her from drowning. She doesn't know who, though." Rika sipped on her cup. "Of course, no one believes her. The closest to saviors she could possibly have is those group of men and Lord Ikki who found her on the shore."

Luka pulled a rose from a rosebush that was beside him. He twisted it around, bringing it closer to his nose and sniffing it. 

"But, sister, what if someone did save her from that wreckage?" Luka held the rose in the palm of his hand. "Say a man that happened to also be out at sea? And say this man did indeed come to her rescue?"

Rika put her cup down, resting her chin on her manicured hand. 

"If that were so, then why would he not have been open about getting her to safety? Surely, he would want to make sure she got the care she needed."

Luka chuckled. 

"Ah, that is true, sister dear. But say he, too, was on his way to find help, only to faint from exhaustion away from where the girl was. And now this man wants to tell her all about what happened and propose to her."

Rika placed her hands on her lap. 

"And why would such a rich, noble man want to marry a commoner girl like her?"

"Excellent question. You see, if the man who saved her were to propose to her, it would be as if this man was meant to be a savior. After all, he saved her from death and now he would graciously welcome her into a life of luxury. Thus, word would spread about how generous and kind this man is to the point where people will be praising him for his efforts and perhaps consider him a figurehead for nobility. Besides," Luka crushed the rose in his palm before letting the petals fall down, "it would also give his dear sister a chance at marriage with Lord Ikki. After all, they have been friends for years so it would only make sense that he would have to go for her if his delusional crush were to be married to another man."

Rika giggled. 

"You make a very good point, dear brother."

Luka had to have that girl. There was no way she would be able to reject a man she believed saved her from death.


	25. Flight and Landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo goes out on a tour boat with Chiemi and some extra company. But there's an unwelcomed guest that's waiting for them when they get back.

I had gone to the docks early in the morning. Sawa had arranged for all of us to go on the tour that morning and we would be out at sea for a day. It was my first time being on a boat. I had no idea what we would be doing. I had kept my hair tied back in a ponytail and wore a light, cream colored long sleeved shirt with white pants. I hugged myself against the chilly air. I hadn't gotten used to not being in total control of my body temperature. Not that merpeople never get cold, but we're usually capable of controlling the heat in our bodies for specific periods of time. I know I was once able to swim in icy waters for at least a few days. I felt myself dozing off. Every time I would close my eyes, I felt my head sink and would spring back up. I hadn't even noticed Sawa run up next to me.

"Ah, you're here early," I heard. I looked to my side and made a small jump. 

"Didn't get much sleep, huh?" she guessed. "Ah, well, I was about to go inside the boat were taking to do some last minute checks. You can come if you want. There's a bench in there that you can lay on."

Sawa climbed aboard a boat that was white with red stipes. She pulled out a plank to let me walk in. The boat some chairs out and I could see the bench. But aside from that, I saw fishing poles on the floor with a strange, quadrangular shaped thing that had a line coming out of it. Sawa patted the bench and I laid down on it.

"Alright, I'll give you a bit of time to rest up while I go check out the inside."

I don't remember seeing exactly where she went for I had closed my eyes the moment she was out of my peripheral vision. 

 

There was a nudge on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and was met with Waka, who was kneeling down before me. It was one of those rare moments in all my world jumpings that he had worn something silly. This time it was a yellow buttoned flower print shirt. I smiled at him.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but everyone's arrived," he told me. I sat up and could see that he was right. Sawa had told me it would be her, Chiemi, Shin, and I yet there were other familiar faces on board. Ikki and Kent were playing rock paper scissors in an over the top way, Shin was wiping the railing, Toma was looking out at the sea, and Waka was right in front of me. Lady Mine, who wore an oversized pink hat, came towards us.

"Mr. Waka, I didn't realize you wore such silly outfits," she remarked. 

"I like to express my fun in more subtle ways," he said. He turned back to me. "I'm sure you must be surprised to see all of us here. I know Sawa mentioned that the only other person that would come along would be Shin, but the boat owner insisted that all of us that were on board the night of the wreckage come along, too. He was nice enough to have it be exclusive for all of us." 

_I always forget that the boat owner gives exclusive boat usage to those involved with the wreckage. But then, shouldn't that woman Rika be here?_

I noticed Chiemi in the corner, holding that quadrangular thing from earlier. She wore a small, straw hat with her hair in a side ponytail that was tied with a bow. She looked adorable as always. She noticed me and waved at me.

"You can join her if you'd like," Waka said. "I'm sure she'd appreciate the company."

I gave a slight bow to Waka and went with Chiemi. She was still holding that quadrangular thing. 

"I didn't know these boats had kites on them," she said. 

Kite?

"I bet it would be great to fly one of these as we set sail. Have you ever flown a kite before?" she asked.

I shook my head. I didn't even know what that was to begin with. 

"Come on. Let's go to the back and set it out when the boat starts moving."

We waited for the announcement that the boat was starting to set sail. As the boat was leaving the docks, Chiemi held the kite in her hands while also holding the string that was coming out of it. Once we were a ways off from land, she threw the thing into the air while still clutching the string. It went up, and it was then that I had also noticed that it actually had two strings. There was the one Chiemi was holding and another one that was in the air. It looked like a tail. Chiemi had her mouth wide open as she looked on in amazement. She nudged my arm.

"Here," she held the string out to me. 

I tried to tell her no, but she grabbed my hands and put the string in my grasp. The kite had almost gotten away from me. Chiemi and I both latched onto the string. I had control over the kite. I didn't touch the sky. I didn't feel the clouds in my hands. I didn't grow wings. Nonetheless, I flew. For a moment, I flew.

Even the birds have to land at some point.

After playing with the kite, we had gone to spend time with the others. We all fished, Sawa shared some information about the island, and we got to take turns handling the steering wheel of the ship. The day was almost over by the time we had reached the docks again. If the day had ended with all of us going home, I would have considered it one of the best days of my life. But waiting for us was the woman Rika and a man I had not recognized.

The man wore an extravagant coat and had wavy, blonde hair. He kept scanning all of us before setting his eyes on Chiemi. That's when he started his act.

"Chi-Chiemi, is that you?" the man asked.

"Um, yes? Do I know you?" Chiemi questioned back. 

Everyone had their eyes glued at the scene that was unfolding. This man knelt down before her.

"Oh, Chiemi, I thought I'd never see you again."

Chiemi backed away. 

"Um, I'm sorry, have we met before?"

The man looked up at her.

"Ah, so it is true. You really do have amnesia. Please, let me introduce myself. I am Luka, Rika's brother. Forgive me, this may seem sudden, but, I saved you from a wreckage on a ship."

There was a mixtures of gasps and side glances. I clenched the bottom of my shirt. I knew he was lying. Luckily, Shin stepped in. 

"Hold on a minute," he said. "You come out of the blue to make a bold claim like that. How are any of us, especially her, supposed to believe you?"

"Shin is right," Kent added. "How can we trust you?"

Luka got up before facing everyone. 

"You're right, it is a sudden claim," he admitted. "But the truth is," his eyes started getting watery, "I was part of a ship wreck myself." He took a deep breath. "I was out at sea when my ship was struck by lightning. My servants made sure I was secure in a lifeboat. As I had drifted away from my ship, I saw another ship that was on fire. And falling out of that ship," he turned to Chiemi, "was you." 

Chiemi's eyes widened. 

"You were so fragile and helpless," Luka continued. "As your body hit the water, I had to jump in to save you. Unfortunately, I was careless and allowed my lifeboat to drift away from us. I swam us to the nearest shore and left you on the sand as I tried to go search for help. But I must not have been strong enough, for one minute I was in search of help and the next minute, my servants had found me without you." Luka held his hand out. "Please, won't you allow me to make it up to you by getting to know you? My sister can accompany us as well as another friend of your choice."

Chiemi looked around. In all of the worlds I've been to, I've never once had to come across him. I had heard of Rika having a brother in one or two worlds. I had no idea he was this low to lie like that. And I had no idea why. 

Chiemi ultimately chose to have Shin accompany them and the four of them went ahead. I could only stand there, silently asking God why I couldn't just be with my beloved Chiemi.


	26. An Unexpected Surprise and Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Ikki's ball is here and Ukyo and Chiemi have something they want to say to each other. But a surprise comes in for both of them.

Lord Ikki held his ball like he did in every world I had been to. I had gotten dressed for the occassion, making sure everything looked right. In my pants pocket was the pearl ring I was planning on giving to Chiemi. I could only hope that Rika's brother would not get in the way of me being able to confess to her. I tied the end of my braid with the red ribbon that was on my nighstand. Before I had left my home, I uncovered the portrait of her. I wish I could have kept this painting all to myself. That way, no matter where I went, I would be blessed with her smile every day and every night. But this would need to be for her. For her to see just how much her smile means to me. I made my way out of the house.

There were coaches and groups all across the city. Merchants were out on the street, selling warms foods and jewelry. It was as if the whole island had been invited to Lord Ikki's ball. I saw Waka not to far from where I was. He didn't look much different than he normally would at the restaurant. I used some endurance to reach him. When I was in close proximity, I tugged his sleeve. He looked down at me.

"Ah, Ukyo," he smiled. "What a pleasant surprise. I see my tuxedo fits you perfectly."

I smiled back at him. I saw him holding a notepad and a pen. I pointed it out.

"Oh, this," Waka held the items up. "These are just to take some notes. Did you want to borrow a piece of paper?" 

He handed me the notepad and pen. On the paper, I wrote one of the things I had always practiced writing across the worlds I had jumped through. It was one of the most important phrases I knew I had to know how to write. When I gave them back to him, he silently read my words.

Thank you.

Waka placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Let us go to the party," he said. "And, you're welcome." 

 

The estate was bustling with a surge of people. There were people outside of the estate, chatting away while those inside were either feasting on the delicacies that were out or dancing in the ballroom. Luckily, I could see Chiemi next to Sawa. The two of them were laughing over something. I didn't see Rika or her brother in sight. That was a good sign. Just then, Lady Mine approached Waka and I.

"Hello, gentlemen," she said giving a bow.

Waka bowed back.

"Miss Mine, you look very lovely tonight," Waka complimented.

Lady Mine giggled. She turned to the dancers then back to us. She held the fan in her hand up to her up lips. 

"M-Mr. Waka," she stuttered, "would you care to have a dance with me?"

Waka didn't say anything, instead going to her side. She smiled as she clutched to his arm. He waved me goodbye and he and Lady Mine were out in the sea of dancers. I straightened myself out before making my way to where Chiemi was. Each step was more excruciating than the last. I could not bear to ask her to dance. I hope she would forgive me for that. But I just had to spend some time with her. I had to let her know how I felt, with or without her memories. I stood before her and Sawa. They looked at me. Chiemi's face lit up.

"Ukyo," she said in a rather high pitched voice. 

"You're looking rather handsome," Sawa told me.

I placed my arms forward to them. They said their thanks to me. I placed my hand in my pocket as Sawa talked away about something I couldn't remember. My thumb rubbed the pearl in my pocket. It was still there. My chance was still present. I paid attention to Chiemi's hands clutched together. It looked as though she were silently praying for something. She gave me a gentle, side glance. I could feel my face turning red. Sawa stopped talking for a moment before opening her mouth wide.

"Ah, Miss Mine is out there dancing with Waka," she pointed out. "Sorry, I gotta go bug them about that!"

With that, she ran from us. As it was us two, Chiemi looked up at me. She swung herself back and forth, tapping her finger. She stopped her swinging as she touched the red ribbon. 

"This looks lovely," she said. "It goes well with your braid."

I touched the rose that was holding her hair back. She giggled. 

"You know, I'm actually a little hungry. Let's go see what's at the food table, shall we?"

The two of us went over to the food table. There I could see Sir Kent picking at a plate of shrimp. As he ate it, Toma showed up, pointing to himself. Shin sipped a cup of punch, ignoring the two of them. The food table had shrimp, chicken, salad, punch, wine, champagne, and even some cake. Chiemi grabbed two plates of cake. She handed one to me.

"I don't know about you, but I'm more in the mood for something sweet." 

She took a bit, making noises of approval. 

"This cake is really good."

I decided to take a bite myself and she was right. The cake had tasted good. It was almost as good as pudding. I felt some of it on my nose, to which she tiptoed and swung it off there before eating it herself. I gave a silent laugh. When we were done, we placed the plates down and found some chairs to sit on. Chiemi tucked some loose hair behind her ear. She looked up at me. 

"Listen, Ukyo," she began. "I know I've been spending some time with Luka, but I don't want you to think that I don't want to spend any time with you." 

My heart was racing. 

"The truth is, I'd like to spend as much time as possible with you." 

Our eyes were locked. I put my hand over her hand. This was my chance. This time I would let her know my true feelings. I love her, with or without memories. I closed my eyes and leaned closer to her face. Before either of us could make any further moves, we heard Lord Ikki's voice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he announced, "Lady Rika and Lord Luka have brought with them very special guests."

Chiemi and I pulled away from each other. My hand was still on hers. 

"Please welcome-"

Before he could finish that sentence, two older people, a man and a woman, entered the room alongside Rika and Luka. Chiemi got up. She reached her hand to them then pulled it back. 

"Are you two," she folded her hands. 

The man and woman gave her warm smiles. They held their arms open. Chiemi ran to them. 

I got up from my seat to see what all this was about. The man and woman hugged Chiemi. Now that I had gotten closer to them, I saw that they had some familiar features. The man's hair was slicked back, but the texture looked similar to Chiemi's while the woman had an identical nose to her. 

_It couldn't be._

"Mom, Dad," Chiemi said. "I didn't think you two would make it here today." 

Her eyes started getting watery. 

"I'm sorry, I know it's wrong, but I barely remember you two." 

She started crying. The man rubbed her back while the woman kissed her on her forehead. 

"Don't be sorry, dear," the woman said. "We know it's not your fault."

"We should be the ones apologizing for not getting to you sooner."

All three of them were pulled into another embrace. Everyone was either in awe or crying, too. Shin and Toma had ran closer to the scene, both of them in shock to see Chiemi's parents. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do. That's when the man and woman turned their attention to the crowd and spotted them.

"Shin, Toma," the man said, "it's good to see you boys."

Shin and Toma went with them as well. They all comforted Chiemi, as her tears were beginning to decrease. When she wiped the last of her tears away, her mother took a side step.

"Chiemi," she said, "we wouldn't be here if it weren't for this fine, young noble who was able send a ship out for us."

Luka stepped forward. He grabbed Chiemi's hand.

"Dear Chiemi," his voice was sooth yet audible to everyone in the estate. "You must have struggled when people did not believe that you were saved by someone at sea. And you must have felt a sense of loneliness when your parents could not be here when you were most vulnerable. But I have helped prove to those people that you were not disillusioned and I had made it my goal to bring your parents here today. Chiemi, I must confess that there is a reason I wanted to bring them here today. I wanted to make clear to all of those here that I am in love with you Chiemi. So much so," he got on one knee, taking out a diamond ring, "that it would be my honor if you were my bride."

Chiemi's body shook. My body was shaking. Her parents gave a notion of approval to their daughter. But, she look scared. I wanted to step in. I wanted to protect her from this liar. Yet, it was up to her as to what she would say next. All I could do was watch. Watch as my chances with her crumbled down.

Chiemi let go of Luka's hand.

"I, I don't know what to say. I, if you want me to marry you," she paused before looking away from him, "if that's what you want....."

Luka got up and pulled her in for a kiss. There was cheering everywhere. I ran out of the estate. I pushed so many out of the way. I made my way to the ocean like I had always done in previous worlds. I had seen her fall for other men before. This was nothing new. I had gotten used to her falling for Lord Ikki, or Sir Kent, or Shin, or Toma. And I had come to feel safe with whoever she ended up with. But this time. This time was different. It was because I knew that this man, Luka, was lying to her. I hadn't cried this much since the first time she chose another man. I buried my fingers underneath the sand. I looked out at the sea. I knew Orion would be coming by soon. Whether it be tonight or in a few nights. 

I got up. I walked away from the beach. Although she would not marry me, I didn't want to carry that blade. Instead, I would wait for her wedding like I had before. And rather than stab myself like before, I wanted to make this time different. I wanted to jump off a cliff and let the wind take away my seafoam form. 


	27. Hope is Lost, But Love is Still Amazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo is caught in a state of despair.

It had been some time after Luka proposed to Chiemi. I didn't see much of her as wedding preparations were underway. I kept my attention to my job, hoping to not have to see either one of them. But, whenever I would come home, I would sit down in front of the portrait of my beloved and stare at her until I fell asleep. All those times we spent together, all the memories of us having fun, those were gone from her. I tried to accept it. I had to accept it. She was to be with another. That was the end. 

I knew I had to meet Orion once again. I left my house and headed down to the beach. On my way, I kept hearing the whispers of all those who had heard the news of Chiemi marrying Luka. I could feel some stares made my way. 

" _What a generous man Lord Luka is._ "

" _He's such a dear. He went through the trouble of finding that amnesiac girl's parents and reunited them. Were it not for her father insisting that his family pay for the wedding, I'm sure Lord Luka would have been wed to her outside of the country._ "

" _I heard that if Lord Luka didn't appear, then the girl would have settled for that mute boy._ "

" _It's a good thing he returned. I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to be married to a mute._ "

My hair fell down to cover my face. I may have been mute, but I wasn't deaf. The pain in my feet dug deeper whenever I would run, but to get away from those voices I was willing to suffer just a little while longer. 

Once I reached the beach, I removed my shoes and continued my way to the place that Chiemi and I once stayed at. The sand in between my toes was a little comforting as the sharp pain didn't cease. Before I could go pass the cavern, her voice called out to me.

"Ukyo!" 

I turned around to see her. She was in the very same dress she had worn on the day of the ship wreck with a purse slung over her shoulder. There was a small wind that blew her hair against her face. Although she was the one to call out to me, she couldn't look me in the eyes. I walked over to her and tapped on her shoulder. She flinched, but she managed to look at me. 

"I," she paused before turning to examine her surroundings. "I'm sorry. Ever since Lord Ikki's ball, I haven't had a chance to really get to know Lord Luka. Most of the people I know believe that it would be best for me to marry him. He did save me after all." 

I chipped away the skin that overlapped my fingernail. 

"But, you should know that...I still care about you. You've been there for me, you've spent your time with me, and you seem to understand what I've been going through. Please, don't hate me."

I put a hand on her head. My fingers lifted up her mouth to form a smile. She laughed. 

"So, I know this might be awkward, but...," she opened up her purse to hand me an envelope. "I thought it wouldn't be fair to leave you out. If you want to, you're free to attend my wedding. It will be next week."

I held the envelope against my chest. I nodded. 

"Great." Chiemi took hold of the strap of her purse. "Well, goodbye."

With that, she left to the port. I put the envelope in my pocket and passed the cavern to the spot where I was to meet Orion.

* * *

 

Much to my surprise, Orion was not alone. I spotted a tentacle coming out of the tides. Orion's head popped out of the water, but alongside him was Nhil. I crawled closer to the shore. 

My eyes must have been wide enough for Nhil to take notice.

"You must be surprised to see me here," Nhil pointed out. "I didn't want Orion to have to do this alone. Not this time."

Nhil rested a hand on Orion's shoulder. Orion was much paler than usual. His eyes were red. He took out the blade from the water. 

"Ukyo, I really don't want to see you suffer like this anymore," Orion pleaded. "You can still come back. You don't have to turn into seafoam or be reborn as a Wind Spirit. If you live your life out as a merman, maybe you can be reborn with her by your side."

I shook my head. To kill her would mean she'd die for what I've done. She deserved better. Orion seemed to know that my response wouldn't change as he flung the blade all the way to land as it bounced off the rocky wall and landed on the sand, scaring away the seagulls that were present. The boy sobbed as Nhil pulled him in to his chest.

"There, there, Orion," Nhil comforted, his tentacles surrounding the child. 

I broke down, too. Nhil used one of his tentacles to pull me into their embrace. They were both so kind. I wanted to thank them. I wanted to apologize to them. If I could have just said "thank you and I'm sorry" then I would have felt at ease with those being my last words. And yet, I didn't. That's when it hit me. Before her wedding, there was something I had to do. 

I eased my way out of their grip, getting up. Nhil and Orion went back into the sea. I rushed to my house. 

* * *

 

It had been evening when I bursted through the restaurant doors. I hadn't taken the time to clean myself up as sand and water dripped on the floor. Under my arm was the portrait of Chiemi that had been covered with a sheet. She, herself, wasn't present. Waka came over, with a towel in hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I unveiled the portrait to him. He smiled. 

"Ah, would you like me to give this to her?"

I nodded. He lifted the portrait up. 

"It's very stunning. Although Chiemi has always been a lovely young woman, you've managed to capture what truly makes her beautiful. I'm sure she'll love it."

I smiled. I used the towel he had to wash the mess I had made. I bid him farewell, and went back home. As I laid on the tub, I closed my eyes. I could still see that smile of hers and those green eyes staring lovingly at me.


	28. A Void Filled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chiemi gets ready for her wedding. Something feels off until she listens to a conch shell.

Sawa laced up my dress for me as my mom looked at the mirror in awe. I saw myself in a white wedding dress. The skirt of my dress had frilly layers while the top was adorned with rose styled fabric. I wore long, white gloves to go with my dress. My mom placed the veil on top of my curly haired head. The veil was rather short and attached to a small silver tiara. It was the day I was getting married. The day I would marry the man who saved me and went through the trouble of bringing my parents back. And yet, I felt lonely. Something didn't feel right. I knew I was rescued by someone. My friends finally believe that. But I don't believe it was him. 

"Oh, Chiemi," my mom choked up, holding her hands together, "you look so beautiful."

"She really does," my dad said from the doorway, wiping away a tear in his eye. "Chiemi, your mother and I are so happy to see you with the man you told everyone was real. And a noble, no less."

I smiled weakly at them. My mom went by my dad's side. 

"We'll be waiting for you at the cathedral."

My parents left the room and were soon out of the house. I could hear them enter a carriage that was outside. I slumped down to the edge of my bed. Sawa sat beside me. 

"Chiemi, are you alright?" she asked.

I shook my head and looked at her. Sawa was my maid of honor, her hair kept in a side ponytail as she wore an aquamarine flowing dress with a single strap. She had her hands on her knees as she urged me to tell her what was wrong, lightly nudging herself against my shoulder. 

"Sawa, do you think," I bit my lip. "Do you think it's weird for someone to feel sad on their wedding day? Not because they don't like the person they're marrying, rather...because," I mumbled out.

Sawa's eyes grew stern. 

"Hey, don't beat yourself over this," she tried to assure me. "You're probably still feeling lost and unsure. That's normal, especially in your condition." She circled my back with her fingers. "No matter what happens, I'm still your friend. I'll stand by whatever it is you decide to do. Whether you go through with marrying Lord Luka or not, I'll accept whatever decision you make."

I gave her a quick hug. 

"Thank you, Sawa."

When I let go, it was Sawa's turn to get up. 

"Well, I'll be waiting with Mine in the carriage. I'm sure she's getting antsy just waiting to get to the ceremony. We'll leave whenever you're ready."

With that, Sawa closed the door behind her. I looked at myself in the mirror again. There was no way I could cancel the wedding now. Not when my family already paid money for it. And it would be hurtful to Lord Luka. He did save me after all.

_No._

I blinked. What was I thinking? Of course he did. As I stared at the mirror, I noticed a blue conch shell on my drawer. I had almost forgotten about the shell, assuming it to just be something from before my memory loss. With my memories coming back, I couldn't yet recall where I had gotten that shell from. I had gone to the beach many times, and nothing like that ever washed ashore. I grabbed it, turning it over. It was smooth aside from the edges on top. I knew I had a bit of time before I was expected, so I brought the conch shell to my ear.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah, lo-o-o-ove," a male voice sang from inside the shell. 

I freaked out and almost dropped it before quickly catching it before it could hit the ground. I looked around my room. The door and windows were closed. I took control of my breathing before placing the shell next to my ear again.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah, lo-o-o-ve," the voice sang again. 

The voice sounded familiar. I closed my eyes, still listening to the song. 

_This is....my song._

_I...sang this song before. To myself._

_Someone heard me..._

_It was...._

* * *

 

There was chaos heard outside of my room. Screams to be heard and stompings to be felt. I rushed out of the room I was staying in to be met with flames that took over the ship. Everyone was headed to the emergency boats. I ran over there, but before I could reach it, the rope holding the boat snapped. I wanted to jump from that side, but the fire had blocked my way. I took every turn I could possibly make, the heat becoming more and more prominent. I was alone. This would be the end. That's when I saw him. My beloved. 

He reached his hands out to me. He told me to jump. 

"Ukyo, my love," I said. "I-"

I couldn't finish that thought as something struck the back of my head and I fell into the ocean. What I wanted to say was, "I know you will." He came for me, his tail flapping back and forth.

* * *

_Wait. Ukyo. Ukyo, was...a merman?_

_He was the merman I fell in love with. The one I had gone off to see. The one who gave me this conch shell. The one who had saved me from the ship._

I left the conch shell on the bed as I rushed out of my room. I hopped onto the carriage, causing Mine to give a slight jump. Before Sawa could ask anything, I spoke up.

"I have to meet with Lord Luka immediately. And it's not for the reasons you think."


	29. A Wedding Worth Waiting For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukyo attends the wedding of his dearest, only to be shocked by what will happen when she arrives.

I was sitting in the back row of the room, while everyone else took a set much closer to the altar. The cathedral wasn't the fanciest building in town, but it still looked pretty. The windows were shaped in the form of lotuses while there was a glass mural of blue and red that stood the highest, with light eminating through it. From afar, I recognized Shin, Toma, Lord Ikki, and Sir Kent all seated in one bench, talking to one another. I couldn't make out what was being said, but I imagined it must have been about Chiemi. This was her wedding after all. Her mother had passed by me, heading to a group of older adults. I couldn't tell who those other adults were, but judging by some of their characteristics such as hair color and even face structure, I assumed those were Shin and Toma's parents. Rika was at the very front of the room surrounded by a group of women. She blew her nose on a gold laced handkerchief. Luka was standing in front of the altar. He was the only man in the room wearing a white tuxedo suit combined with white shoes. He was grinning ear to ear while keeping his gloved hands closed behind his back. There was an uptight old man dressed in all black that stood behind Luka. I recalled that humans require someone to officially marry them and he must have been hired to do the job. Whatever hair he had left was slicked back and he looked down on everyone in attendance. My stomach wasn't feeling so well. I loosened my tie and I could hear the old man sneer at me from all the way back there. 

"Ukyo, there you are."

Waka stood before me, dressed in a silver suit and carrying a cane. 

"Why are you all the way back here? Come," he gently hit my leg. "Sit with me."

I shook my head. Waka had been too kind for me. He didn't deserve to see me so miserable.

"No need to look so down." 

He walked across me and sat down.

"I don't think Chiemi ever intended to hurt you. I think she'd like to see you a little happy for this occassion. She did invite you after all."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Her beautiful face flashed before me. Her laughter was heard. I smiled. Waka was right. I might have planned to die that day, but the least I could do was take in as much happiness as I possibly could. And seeing her happy was more than worth it. 

That was when Sawa and Lady Mine bursted in. They asked something to Chiemi's dad before rushing over to Luka at the altar. Waka and I glanced at each other before getting up to get closer to the action. From what I was able to make out, the girls told Luka that Chiemi had wanted to see him right away. He laughed.

"Oh, what a cute girl she is," he remarked. "Tell her that if she wants to see me so badly, she has to come down the aisle first."

The girls huffed, stomping away. Waka tapped on Lady Mine's shoulder.

"Miss Mine, what is going on?" he questioned.

Mine gave a nervous laugh as she clutched her hand.

"Um, the bride is not exactly in a good mood. And she said that she had to talk to Lord Luka immediately."

A young boy with light pink hair slid down one of the benches. 

"Did the groom cheat on the bride, Sis?" the boy asked. 

"No! And don't butt in to conversations such as these!" Lady Mine reprimanded the boy.

There were bouts of conversations occuring all at once. Not a moment of silence until the old man in black shouted at everyone to settle down.

"The ceremony is to begin soon! I expect better behavior from an audience such as this!" 

With those words, we all went back to our seats, though Waka and I were much closer to the altar this time. A loud instrument echoed throughout the room. Lady Rika hissed at Sawa and Lady Mine and pointed to some steps that had candles on them. Sawa and Lady Mine looked at one another, hesitant to take another step forward. Alas, they rushed over there, each one standing next to a tall candle. Everyone looked to the end of the room, where Chiemi's father stood. Alone. He looked over his shoulder constantly, only to be met with stares each time he faced the crowd. He coughed into his fist. He straightened his tie. At last, she came out. Her face covered with a thinly veil. Her hands linked to a bouquet of roses. Her eyes narrowed. Her nostrils flared. She said something to her father before walking down the aisle without him.

Luka once again laughed.

"Ah, is my bride to be that anxious to get married?" He let out a sigh. "My dear, there's no need to act so fidgety about this. You and I will have a grand life together soon enough."

"No," she let out. 

The music came to halt. Gasps filled the room. 

"Um, what?"

Chiemi placed her bouquet on the floor. She then removed the diamond ring that was on her finger and handed it to Luka. He backed away.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I tried to talk to you in private. Maybe so I wouldn't have to make a fool of you the same way you had made a fool of me," Chiemi barked at him. "You lied to me." It was her turn to back away from him. "You said you had saved me, when you and I both know that wasn't true. Or rather, when you, I, and one other person in this room knows that isn't true."

Rika stepped forward, flinging her handkerchief around.

"Who could have possibly saved you from that ship wreck?" she questioned. "Unless you mean to tell me and everyone here that no one actually did," she sneered.

Chiemi looked around the room and locked her eyes on me.

"Everyone, there was someone who saved me. But it wasn't this phony lord." She moved away from the altar, her steps approaching closer to my bench. "The one who saved me was...Ukyo."

Another round of gasps. Luka's body shook up. Even if I could have spoken, I would have been at a loss of words.

"He was the who one truly cared for me. He made sure I was happy and safe. And if I were to jump out of another burning ship, I know he would catch me." Chiemi faced Luka again. "But you would not."

Luka pulled the collar of his shirt. Rika held the handkerchief close to her mouth. The two of them bolted out of the cathedral. The man in black grew red. 

"Young lady, now look what you've done! This wedding has been ruined! I hope you're happy to have wasted your family's money."

Chiemi knelt down and clasped my hand. The smooth material of her glove being unable to hide her shakiness. Her thumb hovered around my knuckles. 

"Ukyo," she said to me. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for forgetting you. You must have tried so hard to tell me. To remind me." She used both of her hands to close mine in. "I don't know how you lost your voice. Or how you're able to be here. But, I do know you must have suffered just to see me." She shifted her weight on her knees. "Ukyo, I know this is sudden. And if you're not ready, I understand. But my family has paid for this wedding and I'd like to know," her hands squished my own, "would you do me the incredible honor of marrying me?"

My eyes and nose were watery. I gave a loud sniff as the tears came rushing out. Some tears dropping on her gloved hands. I removed my hand from hers and dug deep into my pocket. In my palm was the pearl ring I had saved just for her. I took hold of her hand and as I was about to place the ring on her finger, the man in black spoke up.

"This is preposterous! I refuse to marry a couple that has disgraced this cathedral!"

Waka got up and shoved the man aside. 

"Then I will marry you two." 

The man stumbled while he searched for balance. 

"And by what law are you allowed to marry people?"

"By this law," Waka took out a card from his coat pocket. I don't know what it said but it was enough for the man to stomp out of the cathedral. 

"Ukyo, hold on to that ring for a little while longer," Waka said as he faced us. "Now, you two, there's no time for dilly dallying. I must proceed to wed the two of you."

I put the ring back in my pocket. Chiemi and I rose and stood before Waka, facing one another. My feet felt as if they were about to burst. My legs were wobbly. My nose was still running until Waka gave me a tissue to blow on. Chiemi and I could not stop smiling as Waka went on with saying the ceremonious words. 

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two very different, but oh so very similar people. Our young bride had suffered from amnesia while our young groom could not speak. Despite that, they have spent their time respecting, caring, and loving one another. Through thick and thin, these two have proven that love is indeed the most wonderful magic there is." Waka turned to Chiemi. "Do you, Chiemi, take Ukyo to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," she said.

"And do you, Ukyo, take Chiemi to be your lawfully wedded bride?"

I nodded profusely, much to the amusement of everyone in attendance.

"Ukyo, take the ring out from your pocket," Waka instructed.

I did so. I held Chiemi's hand close to me and slipped the ring on her finger.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss."

We leaned in and kissed each other. There were cheers heard across the room. Claps and hoorays. But then something even more amazing happened. I felt as if Chiemi and I floated as we kissed. I felt a whirlwind surround us, softly playing with my hair and tickling my feet. For a brief moment, I could not hear what was going on. When our lips parted, we faced the crowd. Mouths were opened, but no one said a word. I looked down to see our feet on the ground. That's when it hit me. My feet weren't in pain. I held Chiemi's cheek.

"Chiemi," I said and then covered my mouth. 

Chiemi's eyes widened. 

"Ukyo, you can talk again?" she questioned. 

I let out a laugh. I lifted her up into my arms. 

"Chiemi! I can talk again!" I shouted. 

She screeched in joy. We went in for another kiss, and laughed and cried. I carried her down the aisle as everyone stared in awe. More tears came out, but she wiped them away with her hands.

"Oh, Chiemi, my darling, I love you," I repeated to her over and over again. 

The spell was finally broken. I was with my beloved. I could run. I could sing. And most importantly, I could spend the rest of my days with my favorite human in the entire world.


	30. A Wish Came True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chiemi and Ukyo are now married, but there are a couple of people that Ukyo would like Chiemi to meet.

The reception was held at Lord Ikki's estate. He had offered Chiemi to hold her wedding reception there as he felt it was the least he could to help out. I kept my arm around Chiemi's waist as we walked around to converse with different guests. There were many questions to be asked, all of which were answered in the simplest ways possible. Some had doubted my inability to speak, to which I kindly let them know that there was no way for me to fake such a struggle. Waka and Sir Kent had been holding glasses of champagne discussing something when Chiemi and I were able to talk to them next.

"Waka," I spoke up first, "I understand if you doubt that I was tricking you. But please believe me when I say I wasn't."

Waka shook his head. 

"There's no need to apologize. I believe you."

"Thank you, sir," Chiemi spoke next as she put an arm around me as well. "We're really greatful to have had you wed us. Especially on such short notice."

"It was my pleasure." 

Kent spun the champagne in his glass around.

"Although, I must ask to see if my hypothesis is correct," Kent said. "Considering that Chiemi came to me concerning her dreams: were you a merman?"

Chiemi and I glanced at each other before giving out unsychronized awkward laughter. I nodded. 

"Was it that obvious?" I asked.

"Well, considering that you were oblivious to certain things that even a foreigner could pick up on, and that strange event that happened during the wedding, I figured you couldn't possibly be human." Kent took a sip of chamagne. 

"I have to agree with Sir Kent on this," Waka said.

"I do have many questions for you, though, Ukyo," as Sir Kent had brought out a pen and notepad he was interrupted by Mine and Lord Ikki.

Although they were walking side by side, Mine was at a distance with Lord Ikki and not gazing at him. Rather, it seemed as though her attention was towards Waka. Her hands were clasped together and her whole face was blushing. Lord Ikki signaled her to say something.

"Um, Mister Waka," Mine uncharacteristically muttered.

Waka looked at her. 

"Mister Waka, would you," she held back a bit before continuing, "would you care to have a dance with me?"

Waka set aside his glass. 

"It would be my honor to dance with a lovely young woman such as yourself, Miss Mine," he replied as he had his hand out.

Mine gave a squeal as she dragged Waka to the center of the ballroom. Waka had to push up his glasses and nearly tripped. However, he kept a smile on his face. In fact, when the two of them reached the dance floor, he had his attention focused on her. 

Lord Ikki was next to ask for a dance. 

"Kent, as my best friend, I would be more than happy to accept you as a dance partner," Lord Ikki bowed and stretched his arm out. 

Sir Kent scoffed.

"As if I'd be caught dancing with you."

"We could view it as a challenge. I bet you wouldn't be able to last one minute dancing. And that would be one more thing that I'd be able to beat you at."

Sir Kent's eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

Sir Kent pushed Lord Ikki to the other dancers before calling out that he would ask me his question later. When they got there, Lord Ikki and Sir Kent had their arms attached to each other, their legs constantly moving as if to one up each other. 

Chiemi moved away from me, though she put her hand on mine. She led me to the center of the room. 

"We should have a dance ourselves." She placed one hand on my shoulder. I gulped.

"Uh, you know, part of the spell to keep me human was that my feet had to be in pain," I began to explain. "Which is why I never learned how to dance. So, even though I no longer feel pain, I'm afraid I don't know how to dance."

I felt a thud against my back. I turned around to see various couples spinning and swinging their hips. Chiemi chuckled. 

"Then let me lead."

She carefully had me swing back and forth. I had the urge to look down at our feet, but Chiemi constantly blocked my view as she ducked her head out to look at me. I stared at face which just lit up from joy and determination. When the song was almost over, I tripped backwards. She kept her grip on my arm and pulled me back up. We both laughed. I kissed her. When we left the dance floor, a man came in carrying what I thought I'd never see again. Chiemi held her breath. It was my portrait of her.

"Ukyo, when did you-"

"He had it ready for quite some time," Waka chimed in with Mine right by his side. 

"Chiemi," I said, "that painting is the way I've always seen you. I wanted you to see yourself through my eyes."

Chiemi hugged me tightly. She snuggled her face against my chest. 

"That is just beautiful," Mine remarked. 

Waka grabbed Mine's hand and the two drifted away from us again. Chiemi whispered her thanks to me. She pulled me down to kiss me on the cheek. I carried her the same way I had done so when we walked down the aisle. Once she was in my arms, I took us away from Lord Ikki's estate. Her mouth was opened, but no words came out.

"I have some people I want you to meet," I informed her. 

 

I carried her all the way from the estate to the place where we had always spent our time. It was evening at this point, and there weren't very many people left on the beach. Even the seagulls had flown away as we approached to our meeting place. I put her down gently and walked forward toward the shore. I placed my hand in the water. It wasn't long until a familiar fin and set of tentacles were popping out. Orion and Nhil revealed themselves to us, with the color returning to Orion's face. 

"Ukyo!" he exclaimed. "Congratulations! I'm so happy you were able to break the spell."

"I'm happy, too," I responded as I held Orion's hand.

Chiemi came closer to us with a confused look. 

"Oh, Chiemi, these two are the ones who helped me turn into a human. The man before us is the Great Nhil I had told you about and this boy is his apprentice, Orion."

Chiemi knelt down alongside us. 

"It is an honor to meet you, Great Nhil and Great Orion."

Orion's eyes lit up as Nhil chuckled.

"My dear, Nhil is just fine," Nhil responded. "I'm happy I was able to grant Ukyo's wish of seeing you."

Orion held out an orb of light.

"Chiemi, because you helped Ukyo's wish come true, it is our turn to ask if there is a wish you would like granted."

Chiemi leaned her head on me. 

"No," she responded. "My wish already came true tonight."

I hugged her. 

"And I'll make sure that all of our wishes come true." I faced back to Orion and Nhil. "Thank you. For everything." 

We spent a few more moments with them before we had to go back to the reception. Orion and Nhil promised that we would meet again soon. As we got up to head back to the estate, Chiemi and I looked back. The constellations in the sky moved around, almost as if they were dancing.

* * *

 

Rika and Luka never came back to town. Lord Ikki had told us that the two of them were talked down on among nobility. They ended up retreating to a private home of theirs, presumably under new names. Although Chiemi's parents were shocked to find out that their daughter had chosen to marry me, they accepted our relationship. They had to go back to work overseas, though they were able to trust that their daughter could take care of herself. Chiemi and I didn't get to go on our honeymoon until half a year after the wedding. But it was fine as we were able to move in together and get everything settled as a married couple. 

Sir Kent was able to interview me with his own questions about merpeople. Although he never officially published his findings out of respect for the merpeople community, he did work on ways to try and communicate with them so as to hopefully one day unite our species. 

I was encouraged by the town to work as a lifeguard, which I took up on in between creating paintings for people. I spend most of my days watching the beach and when I'm not watching the beach, I entertain children with stories of merpeople. Chiemi and I have recently talked about having children of our own. We agreed we would have some after we traveled the world, which we will be doing very soon.

The two of us are often busy, and we're lucky if we can even sleep together on some nights. But then there are nights where we retreat to our meeting place. We dance as the waves hit our ankles and sometimes we let the water take over our bodies as we watch the stars. Having her by my side is enough for me to say that we lived happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading this fic. Although I originally intended for this to be a series of drabbles, I got caught up trying to write a cohesive story. I'd like to return to this fic someday, though I'll probably do it in the form of a sequel (midquel? prequel? a combination of those) and this time I will try to make it more drabble focused, especially since I didn't get to focus on all of the characters. I hope you'll look forward to more of my writings in the future.


End file.
